Young says he and Doncic can be next Magic, Bird duo: 'We both can be great'
Trae Young and Luka Doncic will forever be connected after being traded for one another at the 2018 NBA Draft. With both enjoying standout rookie seasons, Young believes they could form the league's next great individual rivalry.
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doncic | 21.0 | 7.2 | 5.6 |
| Young | 18.3 | 3.4 | 7.8 |
"It can go down as a battle like guys like Magic (Johnson) and (Larry) Bird," Young said on Monday's edition of The Ringer's "Winging It" podcast. "They battled for years and they were always compared to each other. It could be something like that, where we both can be great."
Bird and Magic squared off in the 1979 NCAA championship game before fueling the storied rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.
The two clubs dominated the decade, combining for eight titles and 13 Finals appearances. Los Angeles defeated Boston in two of three NBA championship meetings over that span.
Doncic's Dallas Mavericks and Young's Atlanta Hawks have split their two meetings this season. Doncic was named the Western Conference's Rookie of the Month for the fourth time last week while Young earned the Eastern Conference nod for the third time this season.