Luka Doncic has firmly established himself as one of the most beloved next-generation superstars. We mean, his massive deal with the Jordan Brand speaks just how highly brands view the five-time All-NBA guard. And honestly speaking, why shouldn’t they? This season, the Slovenian guard has been playing at an MVP level and has been a standout performer for the Los Angeles Lakers.

As a result of this, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Doncic has become an idol for many kids, not just in the United States or Slovenia, but all across the globe. However, who’s the Purple & Gold point guard’s idol? Well, that’s exactly what he revealed recently while speaking about his latest sneaker release, the ‘Luka 5’ with Forbes.

“I grew up idolizing MJ [Michael Jordan]. I idolized the way he played, his competitiveness. I try to bring that same mentality to my game, so being part of [the] Jordan brand is special. It’s about keeping that winning mindset in everything I do,” he told Forbes, indicating that his partnership with the Jordan Brand is much closer to home than most believe.

After starting his career with Nike, the 26-year-old eventually switched to Jordan Brand and even inked a massive contract extension with Jumpman just a couple of years ago. However, it seems that the switch wasn’t just because of the money; it was because of Luka Doncic’s admiration for the Chicago Bulls legend.

More so, because Michael Jordan’s competitiveness and winning mentality completely changed his view toward basketball, as he mentioned. This can be clearly seen in Doncic’s playing style. If you’ve watched him closely despite many claiming that he’s lazy or lacks effort on the defensive end, Luka Doncic gives his best every time he steps on the court.

A great example of this came just recently after the Lakers’ embarrassing Christmas Day defeat against the Houston Rockets. Despite putting up 25 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds, the point guard couldn’t lead his team over the line. After which, he was visibly frustrated and held his teammates and even himself accountable.

“Something has to change; we’re not right like this. We have to face reality and talk about it clearly,” he said after the game on Thursday. “We shouldn’t play this way. We have to be better.”

This clearly highlights that Luka Doncic has inculcated MJ’s mentality and wants to win every game. And as he mentioned, something needs to change, but what can the Purple & Gold change?

What can the Lakers need to change to win big games?

The Los Angeles Lakers have been off to a strong start this season, as they currently sit 4th in the Western Conference with a 19-10 record. However, they’ve struggled against true title contenders such as the Houston Rockets this season. Although the season is still young, the Lakers will need to fix this if they want to make a deep playoff run. But what can they change?

Well, if we’re being honest, the situation is a bit tricky. While it might be easy to blame the lack of effort on the defensive end on their backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, that might not be the only factor. That’s because the Lakers’ roster seems to be lacking depth in some crucial areas.

The Lakers do need a 3-and-D wing who can give them another option to choose from. This would help them in the long run. So, trading to improve its current roster seems to be the best route forward for Los Angeles. While they might not have a lot of assets at their disposal, they can still find a decent wing if they play their cards right.

So, even though LA might be able to get out of its recent slump, if it wants to contend for the title, it needs to find a long-term fix with a trade. Now, whether or not they’ll be able to pull off a trade or not, that remains to be seen as the February trade deadline approaches quickly, as we keep a close eye on any developments in Southern California.

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