Following a second consecutive defeat for the Los Angeles Lakers, FS1’s Chris Broussard didn’t hold back his criticism of Lakers forward Luka Dončić. Despite an initial grace period during his first month in L.A., where expectations were tempered, the intense media spotlight in Los Angeles has now led Broussard to deliver a scathing assessment.
On First Thing’s First, Broussard stated, “Luka Dončić is a ball hog. A great ball hog. A Hall of Fame ball hog – future Hall of Famer. An all-time elite ball hog. He is a ball hog.” His comments signal that his initial media optimism regarding Dončić’s integration into the Lakers might be waning.
Broussard pointed to a specific instance where he observed Dončić dominating possession: “This was ridiculous. You got all these guys just standing there watching you,” he said, referring to a screen capture of Dončić dribbling on the perimeter. “He took nine shots in the first quarter, plus four or five free throws, so he probably attempted 11 shots in just that period.”
This harsh critique marks a significant shift from Broussard’s earlier praise. Merely three weeks ago, he had predicted a West championship for the Lakers. However, after the team climbed to the No. 2 seed with a 10-2 run in February, they have since struggled, posting a 6-7 record in March.
Dončić, who averaged a modest 22.9 points in his early games with the Lakers—down from his Dallas average of 28.5—was initially expected to adapt to a more playmaking role. The plan was for him to evolve from a pure scorer into a facilitator, akin to a “Luka Magic” role, making flashy passes to his teammates. Unfortunately, that transition has yet to materialize.
Broussard summed up his concern by contrasting Dončić’s play with the approach of his veteran teammate LeBron James: “When you are going five-out and everyone is standing there watching you operate, and LeBron James is on the court with you—that ain’t good,” he added, drawing a comparison to how LeBron’s teammates Chris Bosh and Kevin Love once played.
In essence, while being dominant on the offensive end can set the stage for success, Broussard suggests that Dončić is tipping the scales too far into ball dominance, raising concerns about his fit within the team’s system.
