NBA GAME NIGHT: Why It's Now Or Never For Luka Doncic And Joel Embiid
September 13, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readNBA GAME NIGHT: Why It's Now Or Never For Luka Doncic And Joel Embiid
Luka Doncic was a teenager when a high school teammate first showed Gavin Shaw grainy YouTube clips of a kid playing professionally in Europe. Now, at 27, Doncic is second in NBA history in playoff points per game (30.9 on .464/.357/.474 shooting), has already reached the NBA Finals, and was traded for "old Anthony Davis and no picks and Max Christie" in a move Shaw still calls "crazy in retrospect." And yet, as Locked On Knicks host Gavin Shaw and Locked On Pistons host Ku Khahil argue in this NBA Game Night Legacy Draft episode, Doncic has not yet become what everyone expected: the best player in the world, a top-10 all-timer, a champion. That gap between talent and accomplishment defines the stakes for the league's biggest stars heading into the season.
The Luka Problem: "If Not Now, When?"
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:50) **Introduction & Draft Premise** - Gavin and Ku introduce the concept of a "Legacy Draft," ranking the NBA superstars with the most to gain or lose this season.
- 2 (02:41) **Pick #1: Luka Dončić** - Ku selects Luka as the player with the highest legacy stakes, arguing his window to meet sky-high expectations is narrowing.
- 3 (04:18) **Pick #2: Joel Embiid** - Gavin picks Embiid, arguing that a healthy playoff run and a title would completely rewrite his injury-plagued legacy narrative.
- 4 (14:15) **Pick #3: Victor Wembanyama** - Ku surprises Gavin by picking Wembanyama, arguing that winning a title this young puts him on a legitimate GOAT pathway.
- 5 (18:18) **Pick #4: Nikola Jokić** - Gavin picks Jokić, arguing that in the current parity era, getting a second title separates him from the pack of one-time champions.
- 6 (24:42) **Pick #5: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander** - Ku picks SGA, arguing his game already screams "all-time great scorer" and a second championship would force him into top-15 conversations.
- 7 (29:30) **Pick #6: Jalen Brunson** - Gavin makes a "homerific" pick, arguing that a second straight title would leave no doubt about Brunson's legacy as an all-time great.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
On today’s Locked On NBA Game Night, we discuss Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Edwards, and other NBA superstars with championship and legacy stakes.
Gavin Schall and Ku Khahil kick off the NBA Legacy Draft by debating which superstars enter this season with the most on the line for their legacies, starting with Luka Dončić’s quest to move into all-time great conversations with the Dallas Mavericks. The hosts detail Joel Embiid’s opportunity for redemption and a breakthrough with the Philadelphia 76ers, discussing his health and playoff challenges.
The discussion pivots to Victor Wembanyama’s GOAT trajectory should the San Antonio Spurs win a title this early in his career. Nikola Jokic’s need for a second championship with the Denver Nuggets to cement his place in NBA history is analyzed, before shifting to the pressure and potential legacy leap facing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They also break down Jalen Brunson’s rising stature with the New York Knicks and touch on the crowded field of stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards, whose seasons will have lasting implications on NBA history.
Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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