Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is poised for his first full season in Southern California. Amid this, there have been a lot of talks regarding his partnership with, of course, Purple & Gold’s other superstar, LeBron James. Many believe that the importance that the front office has given to the Slovenian by involving him in the future plans may have created a rift. After all, James seems to be on his way out after taking up his player option for the new season, and is well aware that the Lakers are intent on building their future around the Slovenian. However, that is also a suggestion that may simply not translate to reality when we consider the fact that we are talking about two professional basketball players.
While the 40-year-old has not been quite as active in team activities this summer, and has rather been enjoying the offseason, that doesn’t mean his relationship with Luka isn’t the same as before. On the contrary, his recent statement about the 26-year-old guard would reveal how highly the four-time champion rates him. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, where Luka Doncic was having a chat with Jason Gray, the author revealed what the four-time NBA champion had to say about his younger teammate.
Gray mentioned James’ words after the Slovenian inked his new three-year, $165 million extension with the Purple & Gold. “I JUST LOVE the way he approaches the game,” James said. “I love the way he plays the game. More importantly, man, he’s just a great f—ing guy.” This alone should be enough to give you an idea of how great the chemistry between LeBron and Luka is. However, this wasn’t all that the twenty-one-time NBA All-Star had to say about Luka Doncic.
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He took a further step up a notch, “Big-time savant of the game,” James stated. “I always use IQ as a measuring point in basketball—guys who can think the game. There are so many guys in our league who can play the game, but to be able to think the game as well puts you at another level.” The veteran forward not only reminded everyone that Doncic is a bona fide star, but also sent a subtle message to the rest of the Lakers roster about what they can learn from the five-time All-NBA guard.
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LeBron is not even exposing a secret. Everyone knows Luka Doncic is a basketball genius. The player has constantly shown his unique ability to make plays and score from across positions during his NBA tenure. Last season, Doncic went at 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game for the Lakers while shooting at over 52% overall. However, James’ analysis may more be based on what the eye-test reveals. Doncic is one of the most gifted passers the league has ever seen, and can be impossible to stop even when attempted to be outnumbers consistently.
For Slovenia at the EuroBasket 2025, he averaged 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists, proving impossible to stop despite Slovenia’s very obvious lack of depth and secondary scoring and playmaking. He even led the tournament in steals with an average of 3.2, and showed exactly the kind of basketball IQ that James was talking about. LeBron clearly believes that Doncic’s ability to influence games and improve teammates is a result of this basketball intelligence, something the rest of the Lakers can only benefit from.
James used his statement to remind his teammates that they can add plenty to their game. While there’s no doubt that if you’re in the NBA, you have the athleticism needed to compete, according to the 40-year-old, IQ is something that only a few possess. That’s what James wants, not just from Doncic but also from his other teammates, such as Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht. Nonetheless, while James is motivating his peers to follow Luka Doncic, the Slovenian has refused to follow the veteran’s path.
Luka Doncic doesn’t want to follow in LeBron James’ footsteps
Even though everything seems to be better than ever between Los Angeles Lakers superstars Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the point guard, during his recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, revealed that he doesn’t see himself following the NBA icon. While chatting with the reporter, the Slovenian sensation revealed that he and James have the same goal: To win the NBA championship. However, when asked about whether he sees him self playing as long as James, Doncic had an interesting reply.
We all know that James is entering his record 23rd season in the league and will be turning 41 this December. While this longevity is something many NBA stars dream of, Doncic isn’t one of them. On the contrary, he doesn’t think he’ll be on the court at the age of 41. “No. I don’t think so,” Doncic told Gray. The 26-year-old guard simply ruled out any possibility of him playing in the NBA, or rather, anywhere when he reaches LeBron James’ age.
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However, that does not mean Doncic is dismissing James’ incredible achievement. It’s just the fact that he doesn’t view himself in a similar light. Nonetheless, while learning longevity from the Akron native might not be on the cards for Doncic, he sure wants to learn many other things from ‘Bron– from understanding how to build a business empire to how to win championships. Having said that, this chemistry between Doncic and James adds another layer of excitement for the Los Angeles’ upcoming season, as we await the new campaign.