Former Lakers two-time champion makes surprising comparison between Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant

The Los Angeles Lakers made what many consider their most important move in the last decade: they added Luka Doncic. The Lakers star fit in quickly with LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Together, they formed a fearsome offensive trio that overwhelmed opponents. Luka made an immediate impact. He scored 35 points or more in three of the last five games. His performances caught the attention of a former Lakers player, who made an interesting comparison with Kobe Bryant.

Former Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic spoke during an interview on The Mud podcast. There, he revealed a bold opinion about Luka Doncic. When Luka arrived in the NBA, a journalist asked Vujacic what he thought of him. He did not hesitate to say he is the only player who reminds him of Kobe Bryant. Many fans may find that comparison unrealistic. However, Vujacic defended his point with strong arguments.

“…he’s talented, but there’s something in his eyes that when he plays the game of basketball, it’s just that killer thing that he has. Like he can smell blood, like Kobe always said, ‘I can smell blood.’ You can see that he’s still young, but I think he’s got something of my big bro there, and the way we got him, I think also Kobe might have had something to do with it because of Nico and [Rob Pelinka], let’s just be honest. But he’s special, he’s definitely special, and I think if he stays on the right path, and I think he will, there’s quite a few championships ahead of him,” stated Sasha Vujacic on The Mud Podcast.

Do Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant really share important aspects in the game?

Although Luka Doncic is on the right path, his impact cannot yet be compared to that of Kobe Bryant. The Lakers icon led the franchise to five NBA championships and helped establish a winning culture that reshaped the identity of the team. The comparison was not meant to suggest both players share the same level of talent, but rather to highlight the striking similarities in their playing styles.

Luka Doncic #77 and Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak to an official during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 8, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

One striking similarity between Kobe Bryant and Luka Doncic is their elite level of trash talk. Since Kobe’s retirement, the Lakers have not had a player with that same edge on the court. While Luka brings a more free-flowing style to his game, his presence has proven just as impactful shaping the identity of the franchise with both his voice and performance.

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Although Luka Doncic and Kobe Bryant are not the same type of player, Luka is already performing at an elite level. He continues to impress with his numbers. In fact, he is statistically on par with some of Kobe’s best seasons. It is true that he is not scoring 30 or more points per game like Kobe did in 2002-03, 2005-06, and 2006-07. However, he is averaging 28.2 points this season, which is close to what Kobe usually averaged during his prime.

All of this happened during his first season with the team. He joined nearly halfway through the campaign. Still, he adapted quickly and delivered strong performances. That makes his first year even more impressive.

Looking ahead, his next season could be even better. He will have time to prepare and work with the team from day one. If Luka keeps playing at this level, his stats could improve even more. He might reach numbers similar to his peak in 2022–23 and 2023–24, when he averaged 32.4 and 33.9 points per game.