In 2019, Kobe Bryant made a rare appearance at Staples Center because he wanted to watch Luka Doncic play. He brought his daughter, Gianna, and sat courtside.
During the game, Doncic was taken aback because he heard someone trash-talking him in Slovenian, his native tongue. Doncic realized it was Bryant, who had learned a few words of his language to get under his skin.
Fast-forward six years, Doncic is now a part of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team for which Bryant played all 20 seasons of his career.
In the most Bryant way possible, the superstar clearly gave Doncic his stamp of approval.
Now, it seems almost prophetic.
Following a stunning trade that brought Doncic to the Lakers just over a week ago, he made his Lakers debut Monday, carrying with him the hopes of Lakers fans for the next 10 years, who dream he could become the next generational superstar who grows up in front of their eyes and brings multiple championships to their city.
For Lakers fans, who wildly cheered for Doncic from the moment he set foot on the court during pregame warmups, Doncic gives them something his superstar teammate LeBron James never could.
Even though James is the face of the NBA and is considered one of the top two greatest players of all-time, alongside MIchael Jordan, James has never belonged to the Lakers in the way that lifers such as Bryant or Magic Johnson did.
James had already starred in the league for 15 seasons before joining the Lakers in free agency in 2018, winning two championships with Miami and one with Cleveland. And even though he’s now in his seventh season with the Lakers and led them to their first championship in 10 years in 2020, it seems as though he was too famous before coming to LA for the city of stars to truly claim him as their star.
With Doncic, Lakers fans have the chance for something different, something more similar to what they had with Bryant or Johnson, both of whom spent their entire careers with the Lakers, winning five championships apiece in Los Angeles.
Sure, Doncic had already played 6 1/2 seasons for the Mavericks before a trade swapped him with Anthony Davis. But Doncic didn’t win a championship in Dallas. The 25-year-old has a chance to make his real name for himself in Los Angeles, for a franchise that has won 17 championships and been the home of some of the league’s biggest names.
The Lakers are embracing that possible future.
A sea of yellow T-shirts emblazoned with Doncic’s No. 77 were draped over each chair at Crypto.com Arena on Monday. As Doncic shot around, Serbian music played. Cameras were affixed on Doncic, not James, during the National Anthem.
Doncic, who was on a minutes restriction because he hadn’t played since Christmas due to a calf strain, finished with 14 points in 24 minutes in the Lakers’ 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz. He was shaking off rust throughout the game, shooting 5-for-14 shooting from the field and 1-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. He had five rebounds and four assists.
James let Doncic have his shine.
On Monday morning, James texted Doncic telling him he could pick whose name was called last during pregame introductions, an honor reserved for the team’s biggest star. Doncic opted to go last in his debut, but added that James would be called last moving forward.
“He texted me in the morning and he said, ‘Whatever you want,'” Doncic said. “And for him to text me that, it was just amazing. So, it shows what kind of person he is. And he let me have my moment, so I really appreciate it.”
Then, as the team huddled before the game, microphones caught James giving Doncic a message.
“Luka, be your f—king self,” James said. “Don’t fit in. Fit the f—k out.”
It was exciting seeing Doncic team up with James, pairing one of the top three players in the league with one of the best players ever. They’re a duo that’s going to keep defensive coaches up at night, inspiring them to draw elaborate schemes on walls like Russell Crowe’s character in the film, “A Beautiful Mind.”
The Lakers have won 12 of their last 14 games, climbing to fourth place in the Western Conference. And all of a sudden, it seems as though they could be championship contenders again soon.
Since trading for Doncic, James has shined, finishing with 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds and eight assists on Monday, following a 42-point, 17-rebound and six-assist performance against Golden State on Feb. 6. When Doncic finds his rhythm, how are defenses going to stop both of them?
While Doncic was initially stunned and hurt that the Mavericks traded him, he’s now fully embracing the city of Los Angeles. On Monday morning, he announced on social media that his foundation is donating $500,000 to fire recovery efforts around Los Angeles. And after the game, he posted a video onto social media that included a personal message in which he thanked Lakers fans for welcoming him.
Doncic, a five-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selectee, even acknowledged he felt an unusual sensation ahead of Monday’s game.
“I was a little bit nervous before,” Doncic said. “I don’t remember the last time I was nervous before the game.”
Of course he felt nerves. And it wasn’t just because he was playing his first game for a new team. Doncic is being pegged as the torchbearer for the Lakers franchise. Bryant carried the flame for decades. Then James took a turn. And now, the Lakers are hoping Doncic has a very long run.
It’s a lot of responsibility, even for a superstar.
Dirk Nowitzki, who led the Mavericks to their only championship in 2011 and, in his final season, played alongside Doncic from 2018-19, flew to Los Angeles and sat in the stands to witness Doncic’s Lakers debut.
“I will always be a Mav for life, but had to come support my guy 77 @luka7doncic in the first game of his new chapter!” Nowitzki posted to X.
There’s undeniably something special happening in Los Angeles. Everyone knows it. Everyone wants to see it.
The NBA is better when the Lakers are contenders. And the Lakers just got their superstar who could make them champions for years to come, long after James retires. It feels as though we could be on the brink of history.
But more than anything, the Lakers got someone who they could claim as theirs, the type of player who could inspire murals and become part of the city’s fabric, as Bryant did before he tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2020.
Lakers fans are embracing Doncic. And Doncic is now embracing them.
Only two people were missing Monday: Kobe and Gianna. Doncic make it clear during his introductory news conference last week that he still thinks about when they attended his game – and when Bryant heckled him.
He just wishes they could see what’s happening now.
“I remember that exact moment that happened,” Doncic said. “It always stayed in my mind. It was an amazing moment, just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me. I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment. I’m excited about this new journey and happy to be here.”
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
Luka Doncic
LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers
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