Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lavished praise on Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, calling him potentially the "best scorer to ever play this game." Antetokounmpo's comments came after the Lakers' 138-117 victory over the Heat on Sunday.
Doncic delivered a stellar performance in the game, recording 42 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists, and two steals. This marked his fourth game with over 40 points in his last five outings. The Mavericks improved their season record to 6-2 with the win.
"Obviously he’s one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best," Antetokounmpo said, according to the New York Post. "I feel like some people are scared to say that. But it’s got to be out there. He’s also an elite passer."
Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP himself, added that Doncic is undoubtedly an MVP-caliber player this season. "What he’s doing is incredible. And not only that, but his team is winning, and their offense is good, everybody is being involved, they’re in a good place right now," Antetokounmpo noted. "So, yeah, a guy who’s averaging 38 and his team is winning, he’s definitely got to be in the MVP discussion."
Doncic is currently leading the league in scoring, averaging 38.3 points per game on 50% shooting from the field and 43% from beyond the arc. He is also contributing 8.1 assists and eight rebounds per game. His 13 assists against the Heat were a season high.
This season's scoring surge continues a trend for Doncic, who has led the league in scoring twice previously and has twice finished as a runner-up for the MVP award, most recently in the 2025-26 season. He also led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024. During Sunday's game, Doncic became the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to score at least 20 points in the first half for five consecutive games.