"Stupid overpaid player" - Ron Harper calls out Chandler Parsons' Luka Doncic-Larry Bird comparison
The Dallas Mavericks' fight for another NBA title lives on, largely due to Luka Doncic's leadership. The athlete remains one of the league's top young players, giving him a spot as a finalist for the NBA MVP award, which ultimately went to Nikola Jokic.
The Slovenian superstar's continued excellence has garnered praise, including from former big league player Chandler Parsons. He compared Doncic to NBA legend Larry Bird, even suggesting that the player has surpassed the Boston Celtics legend - a statement that sparked debate.
Former player Ron Harper voiced his strong disapproval of Parsons' take on X/Twitter:
"Shut up!!! Stop talking please stupid over paid player," Harper said.
Larry Bird, a three-time NBA MVP and champion, averaged a total of 21,791 points (24.3 ppg), 8,974 rebounds (10.0 rpg), and 5,695 assists (6.3 apg) over his career from 1979-1992, all with the Celtics.
Meanwhile, Luka is in his sixth NBA season. Though he has not yet won any titles or major honors beyond the Rookie of the Year award in 2019, he is setting himself up for a potentially legendary career with his impressive performances. Whether he will match or surpass Bird's achievements remains to be seen.
Also read: "Forgot about him": Luka Doncic backtracks on his top-three defender picks from weeks ago ahead of Mavs-Wolves WCF showdown
What exactly did Chandler Parsons say about Luka Doncic that triggered Ron Harper?
On the 'Run it Back' show, hosts Lou Williams and Chandler Parsons discussed comparisons between Luka Doncic and Larry Bird. Williams cited the fact that Bird has had a stellar supporting cast to help him build his legacy, naming Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson and Robert Parish. He pointed out that Doncic is also in the process of building his own legend.
Williams then posed a question: if Doncic were to win multiple titles in his NBA career, to whom should he be compared? This prompted Parsons to jump in with a seething take.
"Hot take," Parsons said. "Luka's already better than Larry Bird was. He doesn't have the resume, he doesn't have the championships. As a basketball player, Luka Doncic can do everything Larry Bird did and more."
Chandler Parsons' take is likely to spark further debate. While Luka Doncic shows promise of greatness, many fans may hesitate to place him on par with Larry Bird until he achieves similar achievements.