The Los Angeles Lakers have always been defined by their stars, and now Luka Doncic is stepping into that lineage. As he prepares for his first full season in purple and gold, comparisons are inevitable. But when a Lakers legend like James Worthy brings up Magic Johnson’s name in the same breath as Doncic, it carries real weight.
Speaking on ESPN LA, Worthy explained why Doncic reminds him of his former Showtime running mate.
“One thing that Magic and Luka have in common is that they can take a snapshot. Both of them are really good rebounders; they get that rebound, and they take a quick shot of the whole floor going down. And then their ability to calculate their steps and know where you’re gonna be.”
“That’s why when Magic Johnson threw that no-look pass to Billy Thompson, you know that famous pass, he was looking here the whole time, he saw it way before, and he just knew that he’d be in the same area. So they both have that ability.”
“I think Luka is really good in traffic. That’s where I think Ayton is going to, he’s going to really explode with a lot of alley oops and easy buckets because Luka, he just looks at you and smiles, and he throws a little lob to the right.”
What Worthy describes as a “snapshot” is really court vision elevated to an art form. Magic, at 6’9”, could see over defenses and anticipate plays before they happened. Doncic, at 6’7”, brings the same gift to today’s game. While Magic built his legend on dazzling passes and tempo control, Doncic has fused that vision with elite scoring.
Magic averaged 11.2 assists per game across his career, orchestrating the Showtime Lakers with flair. Doncic, while more of a scorer, still averages 8.2 assists, good enough for 12th all-time. Both combine size, rebounding, and anticipation in ways that warp defenses.
Worthy stressed that it’s not just about passing mechanics, but about awareness. Magic could disguise his intentions with a look, throwing a no-look pass before defenders even registered the movement.
Doncic does something similar in traffic today, using hesitation dribbles and subtle glances to bait defenders into the wrong read before dropping a dime.
Worthy also pointed to how Doncic’s vision could elevate new teammates, particularly DeAndre Ayton, who joined the Lakers this offseason. It’s a reminder of how Magic thrived with bigs like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and later Worthy himself, constantly creating opportunities that seemed effortless.
For Ayton, long criticized for inconsistency, Doncic could be the playmaker who unlocks his best version.
Of course, Doncic is not Magic and Worthy made clear that Luka is a far better scorer than the Hall of Fame point guard. Magic’s gift was pure orchestration. Doncic blends orchestration with a scoring arsenal that has already put him in MVP conversations.
Still, being compared to Magic Johnson by James Worthy isn’t just flattery. It’s a challenge. Magic set the standard for Lakers greatness, and now Doncic, following a tumultuous exit from Dallas, carries the weight of that legacy.
If he continues to blend vision, leadership, and scoring, the “snapshot” skill Worthy highlighted might just make him the Lakers’ next generational icon.
