On Friday night, Luka Dončić scored 37 points against the Golden State Warriors and reminded everyone what he can do with a basketball. It still wasn’t enough. The Los Angeles Lakers lost 112-95, one of their worst performances of the season.

Now former NFL player Shannon Sharpe wants more from Dončić, especially on defense, a longstanding area of criticism in his game.

Shannon Sharpe’s Recent Comment Regarding Luka Dončić

During a recent episode of the“Nightcap” podcast, Sharpe criticized Dončić for not putting enough effort into the defensive side of the game.

The former NFL tight end argued that the Slovenian superstar now has the supporting cast he wanted and needs to take greater responsibility for the team’s performance.

“Luka’s gonna have to deliver a championship because y’all been letting Luka off the hook. He ain’t gotta do it. He got everything he wanted. What did he say? He wanted Austin Reaves…. He wanted Walker Kessler. They got [Matisse] Thybulle. They got Ziaire Williams.”

“They gave him everything. They got Quentin Grimes. They got [Chris] Mañon. They gave him everything he wants…. All that scoring is fine, but at some point in time, you’re gonna have to stop somebody from scoring,” Sharpe said during the podcast.

During the offseason, Dončić reportedly made it clear that he wanted an elite center alongside him. Walker Kessler emerged as a target Dončić strongly wanted the Lakers to acquire, and the Lakers eventually secured the 7’1″ player through a sign-and-trade agreement with the Utah Jazz.

Los Angeles gave up two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. Kessler subsequently signed a four-year, $130 million contract.

However, Friday’s game showed that having the right pieces does not automatically guarantee success. Dončić scored 21 points in the opening quarter as Los Angeles raced to a 23-point advantage. Austin Reaves then converted 2 free throws to stretch the lead to 25 points.

But things quickly changed once Dončić sat down. The Lakers struggled offensively, while Golden State gradually found its rhythm. The Warriors dominated the second quarter 38-15, wiping out the deficit and entering halftime tied at 53-53.

Los Angeles never fully recovered. The Lakers managed only 15 points in the final quarter and finished shooting 33-of-82 from the field, including 11-of-39 from the 3-point range. Their offensive struggles were also evident in their passing. The Lakers recorded just 18 assists compared to Golden State’s 31 while committing 20 individual turnovers and 2 additional team turnovers.

Reaves had a particularly difficult outing. Although he finished with 21 points, he shot 9-of-19 overall, made just 1 of his 6 three-point attempts, and committed 8 turnovers.

Meanwhile, Kessler delivered a respectable performance, recording 10 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and a game-high 5 blocks in just under 31 minutes. He shot 4-of-7 from the field and converted 2-of-3 free throws.

Despite those contributions, the Lakers could not prevent Golden State’s comeback. Now that Dončić is already producing impressive offensive numbers, Sharpe believes the next step is for him to show the same commitment on defense.