Luka Doncic’s talent is unmatched in the NBA, but so is his short fuse with the officials. Over the years, he’s grown increasingly expressive with his objections to officiating, and now some say it’s becoming a serious problem. Speaking on his podcast, renowned NBA analyst/insider Zach Lowe even went so far as to say Doncic is unwatchable.
“The whining is back to peak Dallas levels,” said Lowe. “It’s every f**king play! Just play, man! Not everything is a foul. Are you playing to draw a foul, or are you playing basketball? Which one are you doing? Are you playing 1 on 1 with the refs, or are you playing a game? It’s every possession now. It’s completely out of control; it’s back to Dallas levels. It’s unwatchable. I hate it because he’s a literal basketball genius who can get any shot and any pass he wants. The numbers are unbelievable, but it doesn’t feel as unsolvable as Dallas Luka.”
Doncic (26) has never been shy about challenging the refs, but it’s a habit that’s gotten increasingly more prevalent in recent years. During his final seasons in Dallas, it was a common complaint amongst the fans, who grew tired of watching Luka give up easy transition points because he was too busy complaining about a call on the other end.
Luka hits a three but then gave up an open layup because he was complaining about the no-call 😭 pic.twitter.com/eNpFycUpQh
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 23, 2026
On the Lakers, while he has taken steps to get in shape and clean up his act, those old habits are creeping up once again. Now that he’s comfortable and familiar with his surroundings, he’s facing those steep expectations, which come with natural pressure to succeed. So when things aren’t going his way, it’s easy for Luka to lash out and unload his anger on the referees, whom he feels may be holding him back. Still, they haven’t stopped him from averaging 32.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 47.1% shooting and 35.5% shooting from three.
Luka crying for a foul on an OPEN layup with the season on the line 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/jKKobE5QMg
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) May 1, 2025
It’s gotten to the point where Doncic is looking for a foul on almost every attempt, and looks to the refs expectantly when there’s no whistle on the play. It hauls all momentum on the floor and makes the Lakers vulnerable in transition, where they rank in the bottom half of the league.
Most egregiously, Luka’s behavior fosters a culture of poor accountability within the organization. It teaches players that it’s okay to lose focus and not run back defensively if you’re arguing with the officials instead. These are the kind of leadership concerns that pushed Luka out of Dallas, and they now threaten to limit his success in Los Angeles.
