When the news of Marcus Smart’s availability in the free agency market emerged amid his Wizards buyout, several teams lined up to acquire the former DPOY. And he chose the Lakers over other interested suitors, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. A key motivation behind Smart’s decision was Luka Doncic personally reaching out to recruit him. But turns out, Luka did not get through to the former Celtics star on the first call!

“It first came, I’m working out, and I get a call from my agent saying, ‘Hey, Luka’s reached out.’ I’m like ‘Yeah, whatever.’” Marcus said in a recent interview, revealing that he initially ignored Doncic’s interest. As expected, Luka remained determined in his pursuit, and Smart answered the call the second time, “Another day, same thing, ‘Luka reached out again.’ And now it’s real… and it’s something we need to talk about.”

Sure enough, Luka’s adamant nature played a major role in luring Smart to LA, “That was a great feeling, like I said, and that’s kind of what got the things going for me to be here.” Once the 31-year-old realized that the Lakers’ interest was serious, it did not take much persuasion to make up his mind. Luka’s charm offensive had done its magic.

“He’s a competitor. He’s just the same way. He has that competitive nature when he’s talking. He’s intrigued, and that’s it. He didn’t really have to say much. Luka, his name, his ability, what he has done spoke for itself.” Smart added. Of course, Doncic is a five-time All-Star and All-NBA First Team member. Smart has been on the opposite end of ‘Luka Magic’ on several occasions. So, the opportunity to finally be on his side and benefit from Doncic’s offensive prowess intrigued him. “Why not give it a shot?” Marcus thought to himself before making his final decision. But why did Luka specifically reach out to Smart? Is their relationship that strong?

Marcus Smart says Luka Doncic reaching out “meant a lot.”

Well, Marcus Smart and Luka Doncic have never been teammates, never crossed paths other than playing against each other. So, why the sudden interest? It turns out they do not even share a strong bond, as Smart confessed, “I wouldn’t say it was a relationship.” But what exists between them is mutual respect and understanding for each other. “After every game, playing, it was always flowers. ‘Way to go. Keep going.’ And vice versa.” He added.

While they might not be the best of buddies, both players understand what the other brings to the table. Sure, Smart’s production has gone down since he left Boston, but that has mainly been due to lingering injuries and a lack of fitness. However, when he was with the Celtics, he became one of their core players as the team’s defensive anchor. During his DPOY season, he averaged 12.1 points and nearly two steals. That’s exactly the kind of versatile perimeter defender the Lakers were missing last year.

Although not everyone was happy with Lakers’ Smart signing, the veteran guard is excited to revive his career in LA and is grateful that Luka reached out, “When you get a guy like Luka calling, referencing, checking on you, trying to see where you at, to see if you wanted to come and join something special that he’s trying to cook up over here… that meant a lot.” Hopefully, their relationship will grow stronger as the season progresses, and it will translate to more wins for the Lakers.