All-Star guard Luka Doncic helped the Dallas Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals, solidifying his status as one of the best players of his generation. Yet, Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen does not envisage the Slovenian helping the Los Angeles Lakers ever compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, citing his style of play.
In an interview with Marca, Pippen stated that Doncic’s 2024 NBA Finals accomplishment was a “one-off feat” and unlikely to happen again.
“His style of play took him to the Finals, but I’m not sure he can do it again. It was a one-off feat, but when they got to the Finals, they didn’t have much else,” Pippen said.
En route to the 2024 NBA Finals, Doncic’s Mavericks took down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2025 NBA champions, Anthony Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves, back-to-back Western Conference finalists, and Kawhi Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers. However, they fell to Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics in just five games in a one-sided NBA Finals series.
Pippen Not a Fan of Euro Players?
In the same interview, Pippen made some unflattering remarks about both Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Doncic, stressing that neither European star would have dominated the sport in the 1990s, citing their lack of athleticism.
“I don’t know if they could dominate,” Pippen said of Jokic and Doncic.
“In the ‘80s and ‘90s we pressured full court. Could Jokic bring the ball up under that kind of pressure? I don’t know. Of course, Jokic can see the floor and pass the ball very well, but I’m not sure he would feel comfortable in situations where he had to bring the ball across the court under constant pressure.”
Other Legends Have Doubted Luka Doncic
Pippen is not the first, and certainly not the last, to doubt Doncic’s ability to win an NBA championship. Lakers legend Robert Horry, who won three titles with the Purple and Gold, sounded off the alarm bells earlier this summer, suggesting that Doncic’s weight loss means nothing if he doesn’t commit himself on the defensive end.
“I don’t care about his weight,” Horry told the “Dan Patrick Show” about Doncic.
“You need to get him in a gym and teach him how to play defense. That’s the thing because you can give someone 40, but if you’re giving up 35 on the other end, those 40 points don’t mean anything.”
In another interview, Horry explained why Doncic would never be in the same category as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, or LeBron James due to his inability to excel on both ends of the floor.
“No, Luka would never make that [top-5 players list],” he said. “I love Luka’s game, but I’m old school. You’ve got to be able to play defense for me. I love Luka’s game, but look at guys like MJ [Michael Jordan], Kobe [Bryant], [Hakeem] Olajuwon, [Tim] Duncan, LeBron [James], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] — all these guys, to me, played on both ends of the court.”
“Think about Kobe and MJ — they were great on the defensive end. That’s why they’re considered the best of all time. Look at LeBron, who’s great defensively. That’s why you jump into that upper echelon, that Mt. Rushmore, when you can do it on both ends.”
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