Michael Jordan Called Los Angeles Lakers Star ‘Phenomenal’

While the GOAT debate is a discussion that basketball heads love to get to nowadays, Michael Jordan is still widely recognized as the greatest to ever do it. So when he gives praise, best believe that it’s the best validation any NBA player can get.

The Chicago Bulls legend is set to lend his voice and analysis to the as he will reportedly join NBC as a special contributor for the network’s league coverage beginning in the 2025-26 season. As such, it will be interesting to see more of His Airness’ perspective, especially in today’s product.

Though he’s remained heavily involved in the NBA, Jordan has largely stayed out of the public’s eye since he officially walked away from the sport in 2003. Nonetheless, MJ has expressed his appreciation of how the game has evolved, praising the next generation of elite stars that came after him.

Jordan Praises Current Los Angeles Lakers Star

Some may knock the 62-year-old for his talent evaluation and scouting, given his subpar track record as an owner and executive. The Bobcats/Hornets went 423-600 during his 13-year leadership tenure, per CBS Sports. As a general manager with the Washington Wizards, the team went just 36-89.

Nonetheless, the GOAT’s words still carry a ton of weight. So, when he calls someone “phenomenal,” that player is indeed special. That’s exactly the word that Michael Jordan used to describe L.A. Lakers guard Luka Doncic.

In fact, he was in on the Luka wagon early. His Airness has been a fan of the Slovenian superstar since 2019, when he officially welcomed Doncic to the Air Jordan brand.

And advanced in the league he has. Jordan signed Doncic to be one of His Airness’ brand ambassadors in December 2019, while Luka was just in his second NBA season. Since then, Doncic has become one of the best players in the league.

He has established quite the resume: a five-time All-Star, five-time First Team All-NBA selection, and a scoring champion. He also led the Dallas Mavericks to two Western Conference Finals appearances in three years and an NBA Finals stint in 2024.

As Jordan’s top global ambassador, Doncic has established a good relationship with the person whom he considers the GOAT. The two were seen chopping it up during the 2022 All-Star game. Likewise, they’ve been seen posing in pictures together during some Jordan Brand gatherings.

Mavericks Made Shocking Trade with Lakers

Unfortunately, Doncic’s career took a shocking turn when the Mavericks traded him to the Lakers midway through the 2024-25 season. It was arguably the most earth-shattering deal in NBA history. In fact, the entire basketball world, including NBA players, thought Shams Charania was hacked when he announced the deal on X.

Many assumed Doncic as one of the few untouchable players in the league, given his generational talent and the fact that he had just led the Mavs to the NBA Finals the year before. However, Dallas president Nico Harrison cited concerns about Doncic’s conditioning as the main driver of his decision to trade their franchise cornerstone.

Nonetheless, given the nature of the basketball business, Doncic had to move on quickly despite being clearly hurt by the trade. The Lakers showed a ton of promise since acquiring their new franchise superstar and finished the regular season as the no. 3 seed. However, they fell flat in the postseason and lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in five games.

Highly-Motivated Doncic is Ready for the 2025-26 NBA Season

Doncic seems to have taken something out of MJ’s book and took the trade personally. The Lakers star appears to have overhauled his training and lifestyle, showing up in better shape and more focused than ever.

He’s committed to being a Laker for the foreseeable future after signing a three-year, $165 million contract extension this offseason. He also appears determined to bounce back from a subpar campaign and etch his name alongside the greats who have donned the purple and gold throughout the franchise’s storied history.

Via NBA.com:

With LeBron James still playing at an elite level at age 40 and Doncic being more motivated than ever, the Lakers have a great chance to make some serious noise this 2025-26 NBA season.