Doncic draws Chamberlain comparisons for start to NBA season

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic draws Wilt Chamberlain comparisons for start to NBA season

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 9:14 AM ET

You know a player is operating at an elevated level when they put up numbers like Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest statistical monster in NBA history.

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is doing just that through the first two games of the new season. After dropping 43 points in their season-opening 119-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Doncic posted 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the Lakers' 128-110 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Luka Doncic matches Wilt Chamberlain

Doncic has produced those numbers at a highly efficient clip, joining Chamberlain as only the second player ever to average 40 points/10 rebounds/8 assists on 60% shooting in back-to-back games at any point in a season.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick tried to help Doncic reach 50 points on Friday, keeping his superstar in the game even as he pulled all his other starters with 3:14 left. However, Doncic missed one of his two free throws and thus finished with 49 before being pulled to the bench.

The @Lakers' Luka Dončić in his first 2 games this season:

43 pts, 12 reb, 9 ast, 63.0 FG%
49 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast, 60.9 FG%

Only one other player in NBA history has had 40/10/8 on 60% shooting in back-to-back games at any point: Wilt Chamberlain (Dec. 20-22, 1963). pic.twitter.com/ecea3Qfg8K
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 25, 2025

Luka Doncic makes more history

According to the NBA, Doncic is the first player to start a season with back-to-back 40/10/5 games, a feat that eluded even the greatest stat sheet-stuffers like Chamberlain, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

Furthermore, Doncic is the first Laker ever to begin a season with consecutive 40-point games. This is another remarkable feat, given the bevy of legends who've donned Purple and Gold colors, including Jerry West, Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Only Chamberlain, Anthony Davis and Michael Jordan have started a new NBA campaign with back-to-back 40-point games, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

The Lakers (1-1) will play their first road game of the season Sunday against the Sacramento Kings (1-1), their Pacific Division rivals.

Luka Dončić becomes the FIRST player in NBA history to open a season with back-to-back games of 40+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists! https://t.co/HIXIBBNqFo pic.twitter.com/IzYjbiWpPa
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 25, 2025

Luka Dončić is the first Laker EVER to start a season with two consecutive 40 point games ⭐️

(h/t @mcten) pic.twitter.com/ooWycPbZzh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 25, 2025

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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