Without the Lakers’ former leader in LeBron James, questions surrounded Luka Doncic and how he was going to step up as a leader.
The season hasn’t started yet but he’s showing some promising signs.
Luka took the entire Lakers team to his home country of Slovenia and provided plenty of opportunities for the new-look team to bond and spend time together.
Looney, who has won three championships with Golden State, spoke highly of Doncic and what he was trying to achieve by bringing everyone together.
“I’ve been in the league for a while and that’s my first time doing something like that,” Looney said on ESPN L.A. “Going to somebody’s country, bringing all of us out there and spending that much time together, I never did that before. So that just shows his character, showing that he really wants to win. He wants people to know his background, why he is how he is and I think he did a good job of that. He’s a great player and a great leader, and he likes to show what he can do on the court. And we got to see his personal life off the court, so it was great. We’re gonna follow him, run through a wall for him.”
Forward Ziaire Williams also said plenty of positive things about Doncic’s leadership following the recent minicamp.
Williams said Doncic ‘has big kid energy, like a young, youthful spirit,’ and also added he could tell how much Doncic cared about winning games but also how much he cares about his teammates.
“’I can tell (Doncic’s) leadership. He wants to step up even more this year,’ Williams said. ‘I’m excited, man. I’m really excited to play with him. And of course, when we’re playing basketball, it’s just he makes the game just so easy and looks so simple. He’s going to make my life a lot easier for sure.’”
Time will tell whether Luka’s tactics pay off.
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