The Los Angeles Lakers may already be preparing for life after LeBron James, but in Luka Doncic, the franchise believes it has found its next global icon.
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss didn’t hold back when discussing Doncic’s impact, both on and off the court, during an interview with Stephen A. Smith.
“I knew he was a great player, an All-Star, but the fact that he joins the Lakers and immediately becomes the number one selling jersey in the NBA, that he led the league in scoring,” Buss told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, via HoopsHype. “I knew he was good. What he brings to us globally in terms of fans, we just have so much to look forward to, to watch him continue to grow. And he’s a winner. He wants to win.”
Doncic’s arrival has already delivered on that promise. In his first full season in Los Angeles, he captured the scoring title and re-established the Lakers as a global focal point, something the organization has long prided itself on.
His blend of production and personality has quickly made him the centerpiece of the franchise’s future.
But for Buss, the connection runs deeper than basketball.
“And, of course, I have a soft spot in my heart for him because the last time I saw Kobe alive was about a month before he passed, he came to the Lakers-Dallas game with Gigi, because Luka was Gigi’s favorite player,” Buss said. “So I know that Kobe would be excited that he’s now a Laker and will continue to lead this franchise into the foreseeable future.”
The mention of Kobe Bryant adds a powerful layer to Doncic’s place within the organization. One of Bryant’s final public appearances came while watching Doncic play, making his eventual move to Los Angeles feel like a full-circle moment.
READ MORE: Draymond Green Casts Doubt on Steve Kerr’s Warriors’ Future