"They broke the code of the league" - Tyson Chandler equates Luka Doncic to Magic Johnson over uncanny similarities
Ever since he joined the NBA in 2018, Luka Doncic has impressed the world with his playing style.
The undisputed leader of the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic's play has been compared to those of NBA legends like Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James.
The Slovenian superstar gets high praise not only for his scoring skills but his ability to share the ball and do everything on the floor. With the way he plays, he has become a triple-double machine and he is often compared to the legendary Magic.
"Luka Doncic, I feel he is this generation's Magic (Johnson)," former NBA champion Tyson Chandler on the "All The Smoke" podcast. "More of a scorer. What I mean by that, like, not that their games are similar. And the creativity of what they play with, nobody had ever seen Magic, right? And we never seen Luka.
"Luka, they broke the code of the league, Luka and (Nikola) Jokic. These are slow, unathletic players that are, like, moving at a different pace, right? We are athletic and moving fast. They just slow down.
"And he does it in practice. He does stuff I have never seen before. And that's difficult for, like, I have seen a bunch of players. Like, he does some of the craziest stuff in practice, and the dude does laughing and smiling. Like Magic. That's why I say like Magic because his personality is always laughs and smiles and love. He is easygoing. He is special."
Just like Magic, Luka Doncic can score in any way he wants, by driving to the basket or from midrange and beyond the arc.
His size and ball-handling skills make it difficult for opponents to guard him, and when this happens, he has the ability to find a teammate for an open shot. And he does all that while smiling and enjoying the game, like the Lakers' icon did.
In addition to that, we have seen him offer highlight moments in practice while hitting difficult shots and making them look easy. And he does that both with the Mavs and the Slovenian national team.
Should Luka Doncic be compared to Magic Johnson?
Luka Doncic is usually compared to Magic Johnson for what he does. It is his playing style and his ability to do great things that put him in the same conversation with the legendary point guard.
For the majority of NBA fans around the world, it is like watching a show when Luka Doncic is on the floor. Even though he doesn't run the floor like other superstars and is not in ideal physical condition, his playing style is unique and has created a lot of magic moments over the past five years.
"There’s a little bit of … Magic Johnson, ‘Showtime’ in him," Jay Williams said about Doncic during an ESPN appearance a few months ago. "When you're watching him play, it doesn't feel like you're watching a game. It feels like you're watching an event.
"There's a performance that this dude puts on and the amount of trash-talking, like, you'll never question the grittiness or the toughness of this dude."
At such a young age, Luka Doncic should only get better in the future, as there is still room for improvement in his playing style.
The Slovenian superstar is in the MVP conversation year after year, but it looks like he doesn't care a lot about individual awards and has his sights set on the NBA championship.
Doncic knows that after five years in Dallas, he is in a win-now mode and wants to see the franchise continue to push for an NBA Finals appearance. But if this doesn't happen, he may consider moving his talents to another contender.
Luka Doncic appeared in 66 games last season, averaging 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists. However, Dallas collapsed in the final part of the season and missed the playoffs.