The Lakers have their star player back and are looking in top form once again, and Stephen A. Smith recognizes it as well. Luka Doncic has returned from injury and is looking like a monster on the basketball court once again.
Everyone is stunned that the Slovenian basketball player is averaging 40 points per game. The Lakers once again seem like they’re about to go on a tear of a run in the league. Smith credits most of this comeback to Doncic himself right now, who’s come back in shape to perform for his team.
The ESPN analyst recently spoke about the Purple and Gold team on the latest edition of The Stephen A. Smith Show. He first exclaimed in excitement at the numbers Doncic has been dropping in each game after he made his return. Smith then decided to pick the former Mavericks star as his leading candidate for the league MVP, even if it’s early in the season.
He’s averaging 40! Luka Doncic. Skinny Luka Doncic. In shape, Luka Doncic. He’s averaging 40. That Luka Doncic,” Smith said. “Right now, if you were talking about a leading candidate for league MVP, albeit very early in the season, there is no denying that you’ve got to look at Luka Doncic and say, ‘Yo, this dude is right there,’”
Smith Has All The Praise For Doncic
Luka Doncic clearly stated before the start of the season that he planned to go on a revenge tour. We’re sure the Slovenian sensation took some time getting used to the atmosphere in the Lakers. Of course, you have to take into account the fact that he must’ve been hit in the chest with the news of his trade.
Doncic took his time to recover and he had a ton of support behind him from fans and teammates. Now, he’s repaying their kindness as he hopes to show the world the kind of athlete he is on the court. The Lakers’ star player has been making insane moves on the court.
Smith has nothing but praise for Doncic right now. He has claimed he’s moving like a different man since he dropped weight in the offseason. He further spoke on the same episode of his podcast that the Lakers have chosen him as the face of their franchise. Smith added that this wasn’t a knock on LeBron James, but at this point, we can’t give a guarantee on that point.
“He’s clearly the new face of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. That’s not to throw any shade on LeBron or anybody else. It’s just that Luka’s that dude. He’s only 26 years of age,” said Smith.
Doncic Is Currently At The Top Of His Game Again
Luka Doncic has been getting all the love from fans and critics alike because of his performances. The 26-year-old talent is moving differently this season and is now averaging 40 points per game.
It seems that the Lakers rely heavily on their main man as well. The purple and gold team seemed like they could’ve gotten in trouble when he was on the shelf recently. Now that he’s back and recovered, everyone has taken notice again and is looking at the team as serious championship contenders.
Published: Nov 7, 2025 02:10 pm