Luka Dončić has always earned followers’ respect.
So much so that before Kobe Bryant attended a Lakers recreation as a fan in 2019 alongside his daughter, Gianna, he discovered some Slovenian so he could trash-talk the then-Mavericks’ famous person from his courtside seat.
Seven years later, Dončić is now the face of the 17-time champion Lakers, the franchise with which Bryant spent his complete 20-season profession.
“We can say that it was meant to be,” Dončić advised the California Post in an unique interview.
Dončić has constantly mesmerized anyone who has watched him play, even a five-time champion with the Lakers who confirmed his admiration with tried subterfuge.
None of this is lost on Dončić. In truth, if there’s one factor that’s almost as important to him as successful his first NBA championship, it’s inspiring anyone who watches him play, something that has long come naturally to him.
Dončić had a cult following when he turned the youngest participant in EuroLeague historical past to win the MVP Award at age 19 en route to main Real Madrid to a championship.
While enjoying for the Mavericks, he was so beloved that his followers were likened to “Swifties,” the nickname for Taylor Swift’s passionate fanbase. When Dončić was stunningly traded to the Lakers in February 2025, Mavericks followers were so devastated that they protested outside American Airlines Center, canceled season tickets, chanted for then-Mavericks basic supervisor Nico Harrison to be fired (he was 9 months later), and even famously introduced a casket to the enviornment to mourn their famous person’s departure.
Now Dončić is in Los Angeles, a metropolis with 12 skilled sports activities groups and Hollywood.
He’s a totally different sort of famous person than the Lakers have ever had: He’s European, he’s a team-first participant and he’s shy. So, he’s the reverse of other fan favorites, such as Magic Johnson or Bryant.
The huge query?
Can Dončić win over LA?
It’s something LeBron James struggled with despite enjoying eight seasons for the Lakers and main the franchise to its first championship in 10 years in 2020 before he left for the 76ers in free company in July.
Austin Reaves believes issues will play out in another way for Dončić.
“I think with the Bron situation it was a little different just because Bron and Kobe were battling for the best player in the NBA for multiple years, so Lakers fans at the time probably hated LeBron,” Reaves advised the California Post. “Not that they didn’t accept him when he was here, but they still probably had the “Kobe is better” sort of mentality. But they don’t have that with Luka. He was sort of after Kobe. They don’t have a cause not to embrace him like a Kobe or someone else who was a Laker legend.”
Dončić is doing his half to endear himself to Laker followers.
Last season, he led the league in scoring (33.5 factors), was third in assists (8.3) and completed fourth in MVP voting.
And off the court, he has poured himself into contributing to the LA group. That consists of committing $500,000 to fire restoration efforts through the Luka Dončić Foundation in February 2025, partnering with Jordan Brand to pay for Lakers followers’ parking close to Crypto.com Arena before his first home recreation against the Mavericks, paying for the complete value of restoring a vandalized mural of Kobe and Gianna in downtown in April 2025 and donating $5 million to 77 younger athletes around the world after signing a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers in August 2025.
Ahead of the Lakers’ season opener against the Warriors on Wednesday, Dončić is funding free Metro Bike Share rides for half-hour. He also took out a full-page advert in the LA Times promising followers that the Lakers will give everything they have this 12 months.
“I think it’s just very important to me to do a lot of connection with the fans,” Dončić advised the California Post. “Before every game at home, I sign things and I take pictures. When we go on the road, I take pictures. I think for me, it’s giving back to the fans the way they supported me. The way they care for me. It’s very important to give back to them.”
In many methods, the Lakers struck gold with Dončić.
Not only do they have someone who’s an impossible-to-solve puzzle for defenders with his fixed altering of tempo, but they have a participant who’s deeply loyal.
Dončić wished to spend his complete profession in Dallas, an more and more uncommon sentiment for superstars who are fast to soar franchises while chasing championships. When Dončić was dealt to the Lakers, he threw his telephone across the room. He felt harm. Shocked. Betrayed.
But over the last season and a half, a dramatic shift has occurred.
“After that, at training camp last year, I felt I was where I belonged,” Dončić advised the California Post. “I feel very good in LA. I’m very excited. Very happy. Obviously it’s a beautiful place to live. But just being with the Lakers organization, being a part of it, it’s such an honor. It’s amazing to be here.”
Dončić has embraced the whiplash-inducing change he never envisioned.
When requested if he desires to retire as a Laker, he didn’t hesitate.
“Hopefully, yeah,” Dončić advised the California Post. “But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something here that’s very comfortable for me. And hopefully [that happens].”
His buy-in was apparent last spring when he had a beautiful stretch in March, averaging 37.5 factors, 8 rebounds and 7.4 assists while carrying the Lakers to a 15-2 document. And it was plain over the summer season when he paid for his teammates to fly to Slovenia where he hosted a four-day mini camp so they could construct chemistry and get to know the actual him.
“He didn’t choose this,” Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean advised the California Post of Dončić getting traded to Los Angeles. “But he’s embracing it. And I think when he looks back on his career, this opportunity is going to be one of the best things that ever happened to him, becoming a Laker.”
Dončić’s reputation boomed in a single day when he was dealt to the Lakers. It turned one of the largest national tales at the time — and not just in sports activities.
Several corporations took benefit of the second, including Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, which wrote on Instagram, “It’s not like we traded Luka,” in response to the backlash it was receiving for ending its free checked bag coverage.
Dončić was entrance and heart. He was a buzzword. And he was also the clear No. 1 precedence in a locker room he was sharing with James, who’s arguably the best participant of all-time.
It was a lot.
Especially for someone like Dončić, who prefers hardwood flooring over pink carpets and daylight over spotlights. When requested what he desires followers to most know about him, he flashed a shy smile.
“I’m a very simple guy, probably just stay home mostly,” Dončić advised the California Post. “I’m just a chill guy, a simple guy.”
He’s not outspoken. He’s not the sort of participant who advocates for himself. He’s not statuesque. He’s not LA. But satirically, that’s why LA is falling in love with him.
“He’s not the fastest or can’t jump the highest, so people can see themselves in him,” said Michael Morales, a 42-year-old longtime Lakers fan. “And that makes it exciting to watch him score 50 points on the huge guys out there.”
Dončić lets his play do the speaking.
Last March, he turned the first participant to average 40 factors over six street video games since Michael Jordan in 1986. Yet he fell in NBA.com’s MVP rankings at the time from No. 2 to No. 4. Still, he declined to advocate for himself, saying, “I never did that, so I’m not going to.”
That doesn’t imply he doesn’t deeply need to win an MVP award, particularly as the face of one of the most globally celebrated franchises in sports activities.
“It would definitely mean a lot,” Dončić said. “Obviously a championship, that’s what you play for every recreation. That’s what you prepare for on a regular basis. But clearly it would be good to win the MVP also. Not everybody can say they have an MVP, so clearly that would be good.
“But that comes with the team first. If you don’t play good, you’re never going to win championships or MVP. So, we’ve got to play good. I’m very excited to go to war with these people. I think we had a great training camp and we’re ready to go.”
Doncic’s followers have come to respect his understated nature as half of his attraction. On the court, he’s a trash-talking, offensive wizard. Off it, he’s a quiet man who loves his pals, household and golf.
So, how is somebody like that supposed to win over Lakers followers accustomed to charismatic superstars who love cameras as much as Hollywood actors?
It’s a exhausting query to reply.
But then again, Doncic got the stamp of approval from Bryant, who was identified to be very stingy with his respect.
It’s something Doncic usually thinks about as he dons a purple and gold jersey.
“I was playing and he talked to me, it was actually insane,” Dončić advised the California Post. “I was a little bit starstruck to get that respect from the guy that Kobe was which was unbelievable to me.”
It’s something that left a deep impression on Doncic.
It’s something that seems nearly prophetic now.
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