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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) questions a non-foul call in the game against the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Future Hall of Famer Chris Paul believes Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a better player than Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic for one simple reason: the reigning NBA MVP actually plays defense.
When asked to choose between SGA and Doncic — two players who entered the league together in 2018 — CP3 explained why his former OKC teammate was an easy pick.
“Shai,” Paul said without hesitation at a “7PM in Brooklyn” convention.
The retired guard then spoke about the traits he noticed in SGA during their lone year together in 2019-20, including the future MVP’s work ethic and love for the gym.
“He loved to be in the gym and do all the work necessary to take care of his body,” Paul said of SGA, which some perceived as a shot at Doncic’s inability to stay in shape.
Luka Doncic Versus SGA
Paul then proceeded to take a shot at Doncic for not prioritizing defense as SGA does.
“I think that year that we played together, he also started to see that defense matters,” Paul said of Gilgeous-Alexander.
“You ain’t go to be a lockdown defender or whatnot, but when you’re playing for your team, your teammates just want to see that the stars actually try on defense.”
Paul then pointed to Stephen Curry’s growth as a defensive player over the years, which helped the Golden State Warriors capture four championships.
“I got a lot of respect for Steph, Shai and all these guys who at least try on the defensive end, because that’s part of it, and that’s what your teammates want to see.”
Luka Doncic: A Subar Defender
It was rather obvious from Paul’s comments that he was questioning Doncic’s commitment to defense, particularly in the part where he urged star players to “at least try” to put forth effort on the other end of the floor.
Some Doncic fans on social media believe Paul is still salty about the Dallas Mavericks upsetting the Phoenix Suns in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.
In fairness to Doncic, the Slovenian has shown a lot of fight on defense since joining the Lakers. During Sunday’s loss to the Boston Celtics, for example, Doncic was a plus defender, holding Jaylen Brown to 2-of-9 shooting as the primary matchup.
CP3’s praise of SGA is also not surprising. The veteran point guard was in attendance to watch his protege capture his first NBA title last year, and continues to maintain close ties with the Toronto native and his family. Gilgeous-Alexander has often credited Paul for mentoring him duri
“Chris [Paul] was special for my career,” SGA said during All-Star weekend, via SI.
“Off the court, he was the first person that I was around to really take care of their body and show me the importance of the weight room. His life was really like a regimen, and it allowed him to be successful on the court. Chris was like the first point guard for me. He was the first point guard that I studied.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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