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Luka Doncic's Ex-Teammate Reacts to James Harden Comparisons

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is often compared to LA Clippers star James Harden.

Joey Linn

LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the 2024 NBA playoffs at the American Airlines Center.
LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the 2024 NBA playoffs at the American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is often compared to LA Clippers star James Harden, and particularly Harden’s style of play with the Houston Rockets. Both high-level shotmakers and playmakers, Harden and Doncic also rely heavily on their step-back three, hence the comparisons.

Harden even seemed to acknowledge the similarities between he and Doncic when speaking with reporters on media day.

“It’s definitely going to involve a lot of me,” Harden said on the new-look Clippers. "There was talk when I was in Houston… ‘You can’t win like that.’ You just saw a guy [Luka Doncic] last season make the Finals playing the same exact way I played.” 

New Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. spent last season with the Mavericks where he went to the NBA Finals alongside Doncic. Asked about the Harden-Doncic comparisons after Tuesday’s practice, Jones pointed out some of the ways they are similar.

“Their vision,” Jones said. “Both of them, their vision is crazy. They see the whole floor at all times. They can get to their spots whenever they want, get to the line as many times as they want, knock down whatever shot that they want. Yeah, there are similarities, but also they’re two different basketball players. I’m glad that I’m here.”

An elite lob threat, Jones has already been the beneficiary of Harden’s passing ability, much like he was last season in Dallas alongside Doncic.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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