Reggie Miller Calls Out Luka Doncic For His Lack Of Effort On The Defensive End

Over the past eight years, Luka Doncic has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA, and given his offensive prowess, he could end up being one of the greatest offensive threats we've ever seen in the league. That has continued in 2025–26, as Doncic averages a ridiculous 34 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 9 assists per game, leading the Lakers to the No. 5 seed in the loaded Western Conference.

However, his play on the defensive end has yet to improve since his rookie campaign, and recently, he’s come under fire for his lack of effort on that end of the floor. That continued during their latest matchup with the Detroit Pistons, with legendary guard Reggie Miller making a point of calling out Doncic for it during that matchup.

“Look at Luka right here. It’s OK, Luka, to move your feet a little bit over and help out. What does he do? He just throws up his hands. This would be frustrating for me.”

Sure, it was just one play, but this is the perfect example of Doncic's failure to compete at both ends of the floor on a nightly basis, and especially in the playoffs, this is something that will come back to haunt a team.

Ultimately, Doncic has the physical tools to be a threat on the defensive end, but clearly, he just doesn't prioritize that end of the floor. If he wants to lead this team to an NBA Championship, that's something that will need to change.