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• Updated Apr 11, 2026 at 7:38pm

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Lakers LeBron James reacts with Luka Doncic (77)

Former Los Angeles Lakers star Mychal Thompson made a strong statement by naming LeBron James as a better player than Luka Doncic right now. The Lakers losing Doncic and Austin Reaves to injury for the rest of the regular season forced James to play similar to his previous playing style. An older LeBron has taken a step back in general this season, but the last few games prove he can still lead a team to wins in his 40s.

Thompson shared the following take with ESPN Los Angeles about his argument:

“It’s not crazy when you think about it, LeBron James is still the best player on his team. He can get to the basket. He can run the floor. He still has his speed and quickness. He can shoot. What does Luka Doncic do better than him? He can create his own shot. LeBron can score at will if he wants to.”

The bold comment indicated that Thompson believes that James is still the best player on the roster. LeBron is showing that he still has a lot left in the tank and could average greater stats if a team called for it. This season saw James allowing Doncic and Reaves to lead the offense, but he’s still an elite offensive player.

Does Thompson Make A Fair LeBron Point?

The discussion over the best player on the Lakers is a bit farfetched when looking at what Luka accomplished this season. Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game for an MVP worthy season.

Players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic had great seasons to see Luka’s chances at MVP slimming down even before the injury. However, Doncic still led the league in scoring despite multiple other superstars having historically great individual seasons.

Thompson is a bit out of line arguing that LeBron at his current age is still better than arguably the best version of Luka. Part of the reason for James ending the year this strongly is that he got to conserve his energy with Doncic and Reaves having dream seasons. Thompson could have praised LeBron without throwing shade at Luka.

LeBron Needs Luka Back For Postseason Run

Any Lakers personality trying to choose between LeBron and Luka is missing the point of what’s really important. Los Angeles clearly needs Doncic and Reaves both back on the court for any chance of a deep playoff run this season.

Both injured players have unknown return timetables, with the postseason starting in a week from now. James is nowhere near young and dominant enough to lead a limited roster against strong teams like the Houston Rockets or Minnesota Timberwolves in a competitive seven game series.

Luka’s near 35 points per game will see the Lakers badly needing to make up for his offense in games without him. Reaves is expected to have a faster return, but some reports indicate there’s hope for Doncic in the first round. Despite what Thompson said, LeBron clearly wants his teammates back for a chance of going far in the playoffs.