Luka Doncic Says He’s Tom Brady & Lamar Jackson Hybrid After Doubts Against NBA Future

Luka Doncic has spent the summer putting in work that very few can match. The Slovenian superstar has trimmed down his frame, improved his conditioning, and dominated with monster stats during EuroBasket 2025, averaging 34.7 points per game! With a fresh $165M contract extension with the Lakers, LA is betting big on LeBron James’ on-court partner leading them into a new era.

Between all this preparation, a comment from Luka Doncic has resurfaced on social media from a Lakers fan event at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. The hoopster made a unique analogy. “I’m a mix between Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson,” he humorously told a fan. As he deemed his hypothetical self “the greatest quarterback ever,” Doncic appeared to throw a pass that ended up being badly off-target behind the camera…

“That’s a bad ball,” Doncic then said in an attempt to keep it real.

Though the earlier analogy was playful, it captured the Slovenian’s hybrid playstyle, which can be seen as a mix of Tom Brady’s precision and Lamar Jackson’s improvisation, how he reads defenses, makes quick decisions while using his mobility and deceleration to create shots out of nowhere. As an NBA fan, I can attest to Doncic’s ball IQ and touchdown-style passes over the years, most recently to Bron. However, the comparison with the Ravens superstar’s speed and agility is quite a stretch here. Back in December, Lamar Jackson admitted he was “jogging” during his 48-yard TD run, where he ran 21.25 mph!

It’s easy to latch onto this football comparison for Luka, especially with his image as a confident, championship-level leader and an elite on-court strategist.

Interestingly, though, Doncic isn’t the only one handing out football analogies. Last season, his Lakers co-star LeBron James made a revealing statement, saying, “I’m a natural-born wide receiver and he’s a natural-born quarterback,” referencing not just James’ own high school career as a wide receiver, but Doncic’s elite vision and their on-court connection.

“I’m a mix between Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson” – Luka Dončić on his NFL QB style of play May have to line Luka up under center and see this pic.twitter.com/PO2xFbaygf

— Junior (@jr_ld77) September 27, 2025

For the Lakers, Luka Doncic represents stability in a tumultuous period of transition. The 26-year-old, after arriving in a midseason trade last season, helped secure the #3 seed in the Western Conference, and averaged an absurd 30.2 points per game in a losing effort against the Timberwolves in the playoffs. James, the franchise’s superstar since 2019, is nearing retirement and has opted into his $52.6M player option. Doncic’s extension has already signaled that the team sees Luka as the primary focus going forward, and Doncic must now carry the leadership of the team both on and off the court.

The Slovenian star’s Brady-Jackson comparison also sheds some light on his mindset as the Lakers prepare to enter the 2025-26 season. It shows that Doncic is ready to take full advantage of his conditioning and athleticism, something that might help him recreate the success found in his 2023-24 season, along with possibly leading the Lakers to their first championship in 6 years.

Scottie Pippen Questions Luka’s Championship Ceiling Amid Era Comparison

Legendary Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen has recently questioned whether Luka Doncic plays in a style that can consistently provide championship-level success. He said, “His style of play took him to the Finals, but I’m not sure he can do it again. It was a unique feat, but when they got to the Finals, they didn’t have much,” pointing to the Celtics locking down on an injured Doncic in the 2024 Finals.

Pippen also cast doubt on modern stars’, including Doncic‘s, ability to succeed in other eras, saying, “I don’t know if they could dominate… In the ’80s and ’90s, we used to press all over the field. Could Jokic bring the ball up against such pressure? I don’t know.” His comments highlight a long-standing belief of European players being ‘soft,’ relying on finesse instead of playing through contact compared to the Americans.

All in all, Luka has a lot of motivation to succeed this upcoming season, from within and outside commentary. Whether he cements himself as a top three player in the current NBA or not will depend on how far he can take the Lakers this season.

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