Austin Reaves predicted Luka Doncic’s 40-point scoring tear over a year before Lakers star delivered

Austin Reaves appears to have known exactly what Luka Doncic was capable of, with a prediction he made more than a year ago resurfacing as the Lakers star enjoys a remarkable start to the 2026-27 NBA season.

Doncic is averaging 40.1 points through his first 10 games, helping Los Angeles move to an 8-2 record and the top of the Western Conference.

The six-time All-Star has been particularly impressive over his last four outings, scoring 45, 42, 40 and 53 points as the Lakers recorded four consecutive wins.

ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin recently brought attention to an old article featuring Reaves' prediction that Doncic could average 40 points per game while still helping the Lakers win.

At the time, Doncic had already shown what he could produce offensively, recording 91 points across two games to average 45.5, although Los Angeles split those contests.