Let’s compare Luka Dončić and Larry Bird. Since Luka has only played seven NBA seasons and Bird played for 13, we’ll focus on Bird’s first seven seasons for a fair comparison.
Rookie Season
Larry Bird entered the NBA during the 1979-80 season, averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He was selected as an All-Star and won the Rookie of the Year award.
Luka entered the NBA in 2018, averaging 21 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 72 games. He was named to the NBA Rookie First Team but did not become an All-Star. However, he won the Rookie of the Year title in 2019.
Field Goal Percentage
Larry Bird shot over 50% in three out of the seven NBA seasons. He shot between 47 and 49% for the remaining four years.
Luka shot 49% once during his career. He hit 48, 47, 46, 45, 43, and 42 % in the other six seasons.
Luka recorded a career-high three-point shooting percentage of 38% in 28 games with the Lakers this season, up from his overall average of 35%. In contrast, Larry Bird exceeded 40% in three of his first seven seasons, while his percentages in the other four ranged from 21% to 28%.
Scoring
Doncic led the NBA in scoring in the 2023-24 season with 34 points per game, while Larry Bird averaged 29.9 points in the 1987-88 season, his career high.
Defense
Larry Bird was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1982, 1983, and 1984.
Rebounding
Luka is a solid rebounder for a guard, but he doesn’t reach Larry Bird’s level. Bird averaged around 10 rebounds per game in his first seven seasons, while Luka averages 8.6.
Assists
Doncic averages 8.2 assists per game, while Bird has never averaged over 7.5 for his career.
By the end of his first seven NBA seasons, Larry Bird had won championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986. In contrast, Luka has played in just one Finals, where Dallas lost to the Celtics 4-1 in 2024.
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