Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward LeBron James (23) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
LeBron James praised the way Du therefore thinks the game and exalted his personality.
LeBron James has never been so enthusiastic about playing his first full season alongside Luka Doncic at the Los Angeles Lakers. In an interview with Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journalpublished this Tuesday, September 16, the 40 -year -old icon multiplied the praise for his teammate, highlighting his personality and his Qi basketball as unique assets.
“I just love his way of approaching the game. I love his way of playing. But, more importantly, it is an incredible guy ”, Launched LeBron. “It is a real basketball genius. I have always used Qi as a parameter. Many know how to play, but knowing how to think the game is what places you in another dimension. »»
A promising first season
The association between these two NBA superstars was born unexpectedly. Luka Doncic joined Los Angeles via a surprise exchange which sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. A year earlier, the Slovenian had led the Texan franchise to the NBA finals, lost to the Boston Celtics.
Alchemy enters Doncic and James was quick to materialize on the prosecution, immediately boosting the performance of the Lakers. Worn by its duo, the franchise finished the regular season with a balance sheet of 50 victories for 32 defeats, the third best campaign in the Western Conference.
However, the playoffs turned short: the Lakers were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the fault of a workforce deemed too limited, especially in the racket.
Lakers: reinforcements to support the star
To fill these gaps, General Manager Rob Pelinka bet on recruiting the Pivot Deandre Ayton as a holder, with Jaxson Hayes as a lining. Other additions, such as Marcus Smart and Jake Laravia, also came to strengthen the workforce depth.
Luka’s contractual situation Doncic was also among the summer priorities. The Slovenian has signed a new three -year contract for $ 165 million, ensuring its long -term presence. For his part, LeBron James activated his player option $ 52.6 million to continue the adventure.
The pair will have the opportunity to target the title from the 2025-26 season. The kick -off is planned in about a month: the Lakers will open their season on October 21 against the Golden State Warriors at the Crypto.com Arena de Los Angeles.
Credit Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
