Brian Windhorst Says LeBron James’ Departure Will Help Luka Doncic Win Major NBA Award
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Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic, Orlando, Florida, USA Orlando, Florida, USA, March 24, 2025, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic 77 (left) and Lebron James 23 during the first half at the Kia Center. Copyright: xMartyxJean-Louisx
Luka Doncic did it in Dallas without any help from LeBron James. He scored 73 points on the Atlanta Hawks in one of the best scoring nights of the modern NBA. Now that James has left the Lakers for Philadelphia, ESPN's Brian Windhorst thinks that version of Doncic is exactly what's coming back to Los Angeles this season, and it could hand him the NBA's scoring title once again
In conversation with fellow ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon on "Hoop Collective", Windhorst discussed the race for the 2026-27 scoring crown, emphasizing how Doncic could win once again.
"The idea that with LeBron not being there anymore, Luka will be scoring like he did when he was in Dallas, which is, I don't think the worst," said Windhorst (as seen in a post shared by JayTakes on X).
Windhorst and MacMahon made the case that Doncic capitalizes on his shots better than the other top NBA scorers, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can consistently have 30-point games, but may fail to break the 50-point threshold.
This offseason, Doncic also lost weight and looks much leaner than before. Windhorst and MacMahon, however, believe that the Slovenian will still trouble defenders with his power. Listing Doncic's physical profile as an underrated part of the equation, MacMahon added,
"The condition that Luka appears to be in, it's got a chance to be pretty scary."
Windhorst's take lines up with what the numbers already show. Luka Doncic enters the season having won the scoring title in two of the last three years. First with the Mavericks in 2023-24 at 33.9 points a game, then again last season with the Lakers at 33.5 points per game.
He edged out both Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards. No player has won back-to-back scoring titles since Joel Embiid pulled it off in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and Doncic now looks like the clearest candidate to join Embiid on that pedestal.
With James now in Philadelphia, the shot volume that once got split between two ball-dominant stars is fully Doncic's to control. It will be alongside a Lakers offense built around him and Austin Reaves.
Windhorst referenced this before. He compared the situation to Russell Westbrook's usage explosion after Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City in 2016, a move that preceded an MVP-caliber scoring surge.
For Luka Doncic, the path forward is less about proving he can score at an elite level. He's already done that for years. It's more about what happens when the ball is fully his again, night after night, without sharing the top spot.
Ubong Archibong is an NBA writer at BasketballNews, bringing over two years of experience in basketball coverage. Having previously worked with BasketballNews, Sportskeeda and FirstSportz, he has developed a strong foundation in delivering timely and engaging content around the league. His coverage focuses on game analysis, player performances, and evolving narratives across the National Basketball Association. Blending statistical insight with storytelling, Ubong aims to go beyond the immediate headline by placing performances and moments within a broader context, helping readers better understand the dynamics shaping the game. His work prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and a fan-first approach that connects audiences to both the action and the personalities behind it. Before joining BasketballNews, Ubong covered the NBA and WNBA across multiple platforms, building experience in fast-paced reporting and deadline-driven publishing. His background in content writing has strengthened his ability to balance speed with accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable coverage for a global audience.
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Yash Kotak