Luka Doncic won more than a basketball game on Monday night. He made sure Atlanta felt the sting of a mistake made eight years ago. The Lakers star scored 32 points against the Hawks, but the real damage happened at the courtside. He told the fans exactly what they missed when they traded him away.
Doncic is now the best player in the league, according to his own teammate. Walker Kessler made that bold claim after the 124-114 victory. The center has seen Doncic dominate every night this season. Kessler said, “He’s the best player in the league,” per a report from the New York Post. That is a high bar, yet the numbers back it up.
The Exchange That Hurt
The fun part for fans was the trash talk, but the truth stung. During the game, Doncic leaned in and asked the Hawks fans a simple question. “You all wish you would have had me. You all wish, huh?” he taunted, according to a video shared on Threads. One fan tried to fight back by saying, “We had you.” Another fan insisted, “No we don’t, I’ve never wanted you.”
Then a third fan admitted the painful reality. “I wish we did, I do,” the fan responded. Doncic did not let them off the hook. “You know you could have had me,” he reminded them. The person recording the moment laughed and said, “He’s right.” That admission cuts deep for a franchise that passed on a generational talent.
History Repeats Itself
Atlanta drafted Doncic third overall in 2018 before trading him to Dallas. That move sent Trae Young to Atlanta and Doncic to Texas. Doncic led Dallas to the NBA Finals while Young now plays for Washington. The trade looks worse every year as Doncic climbs the charts. He is averaging 40.1 points per game this season, which is the highest mark in the NBA.
No Lakers player before Doncic has achieved at least 30 points, five assists, five steals, and two blocks in multiple games. Not even Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did this twice. In his first 10 games, the Slovenian superstar has accomplished this feat twice. He also scored 53 points in a win over Portland just days before. The Lakers sit at 10-2 in the standings.
The 20th Player of the Week honor of his career has been won by Doncic. He averaged 45 points in the week leading up to Monday. The Hawks had their chance to build a team around him.
