Although LeBron James and Kobe Bryant never played together for the Lakers, they were central figures in the GOAT debate for years. Some fans hated James because Bryant was the clear favorite for many. Years later, things have changed. Luka Doncic is the new face of the Lakers, and he has no one to compete with on the team.
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That’s exactly why his teammate, Austin Reaves, thinks things will turn out differently for the Slovenian icon. “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 said.
“Not that they didn’t accept him when he was here, but they still probably had the ‘Kobe is better’ type of mentality. But they don’t have that with Luka. He was kind of after Kobe. They don’t have a reason not to embrace him like a Kobe or someone else who was a Laker legend,” Austin Reaves added in his conversation with California Post’s Melissa Rohlin.
When LeBron James left the Lakers after playing eight seasons, one thing became abundantly clear. The front office and coaching staff had embraced Luka Doncic as the new centerpiece for the team.
Then, they added players like Walker Kessler and Ziaire Williams, building their roster around Doncic. Now, as the Lakers prepare to go up against the Golden State Warriors in their regular-season opener, the team will perhaps face its greatest test.
It’s true that many expect the Lakers to crash this season, just because it’s a fresh team and they were seemingly still experimenting with the opening lineups deep into the preseason. It’s only natural for a new team to experience adversity in its first season together.
However, this isn’t something that breaks Luka Doncic’s spirits. When he was with the Dallas Mavericks, he’d hoped to play with them his whole career. Just like Kobe Bryant did with the Lakers in his 20 years.
Naturally, when Doncic learned of his trade on the phone, he threw it across the room. Unfortunately, the deal had been sealed. Off Luka Doncic went to the Lakers, angering Mavericks fans all over the country. Nine months later, GM Nico Harrison was fired from the team.
Luka Doncic can’t go back to the Mavericks now, obviously. What he does have with the Lakers isn’t any less special either. He’s still chasing the dream of playing for one team for as long as he can, hopefully, until the very end.
“Hopefully, yeah,” Doncic said when asked if he’d like to retire with the Los Angeles Lakers. “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].” He told the California Post.
His efforts are clearly visible. Not only did he come into the 2026-27 in the best shape possible, but he also paid for his teammates to play with him in Slovenia over the summer. He hosted a four-day mini-camp and exposed his team to his culture, cuisine, and competitive spirit.
Now, he’s surrounded by excellent individuals like Walker Kessler, Austin Reaves, and Quentin Grimes. The upcoming season is set to be the team’s litmus test which may help set up the tone for the years to come.