“Teens hanging out in Namche carrom parlors are more likely to be wearing jeans and Chicago Bulls T-shirts than quaint traditional robes,” wrote Jon Krakauer, a mountaineer who traveled to climb Everest back in 1996. Such was the effect of Michael Jordan and the team he led that even villages in the Himalayan mountains had children donning his number. Though it has been hard to replicate that global effect through just one player, several stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, etc, did make strides. Now, judging from what Rob Pelinka recently said, Luka Doncic might end up joining the ranks of these legends, too.

The Lakers’ president of basketball operations and general manager recently joined Luka Doncic in the first press conference after the latter signed a major 3-year, $165 million extension with the team. During the same, Rob Pelinka went on to state that “I think Luka Dončić joining forces with the Los Angeles Lakers is a seismic event in NBA history. The reason I say that is because we have a 25-year-old global superstar that’s going to get on the stage with the most popular and influential basketball brand on the globe”.

Luka Doncic was already among the most talked-about players in the modern NBA during his Dallas Mavericks days. All thanks to the legacy he had established back in Europe, the prowess he displayed on the NBA court, and the influence he had generated to the point that he had even become a Jordan Brand athlete with his own signature shoe. Combine all that now with the stardom of the Los Angeles Lakers, the most popular team in the modern NBA, and the Slovenian can become the next face of the league. The next Michael Jordan, or the next LeBron James!

“I think when those two powerful forces come together, it brings basketball joy to the world, because that’s how Luka plays. He plays with joy. If you think about kids in Barcelona, or kids in Buenos Aires, or children in Shanghai or Sydney, they’re going to be wearing a No. 77 Luka Dončić Lakers jersey and bringing joy to basketball, just like he does,” said Rob Pelinka. “And that’s why it’s powerful.”

Luka Doncic is already set to be the next face of the Los Angeles Lakers once LeBron James retires or, as it has been hinted by his agent Rich Paul, shifts to another team. This will allow him to be named alongside other Lakers legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal etc. The influence carried by the Lakers greatly helps in making his case to become the next face of the NBA.

At just the age of 26, Luka Doncic has been named to the All-Star and All-NBA First Team 5 times each and became a scoring champion back in 2024, aka the same year he also took his team to the NBA Finals. He led the league in jersey sales for the 2024-25 NBA season. Plus, one cannot deny that the Slovenian carries a certain charismatic aura with him. Michael Jordan built up his brand through a reported arrogant yet confident demeanour. Luka, meanwhile, holds charisma through his ability to speak multiple languages, possessing a humorous yet competitive personality, and having made a mark in both the NBA and European basketball.

With so many traits backing him, there is no doubt that this star will leave a big mark on the NBA.

Another big thing that could shut down any doubters who question the Slovenian becoming the next face of the NBA is a championship ring. Fortunately, that is what the player has his sights on now.

Luka Doncic sets championship expectations during recent presser: “going to go for it”

After the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers organization boasts the most championship rings. A whopping 18, with 1 of them earned back in 1948, when the team belonged to the NBL. However, the team hasn’t won another ring since 2020. The win that year is also doubted by many, since the tournament was played in the NBA Bubble. Therefore, it is high time that another Larry O’Brien trophy makes its way to Los Angeles again soon.

During the recent presser, Luka Doncic said, “We have what we need to compete for the championship. I’ll try to win every game no matter what and we got some new great guys on the team so you know we’re going to go for it.” As he spoke, several of his Lakers teammates, like Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber, sat. It would have been made clear to them that the Slovenian’s remarks weren’t just for Lakers fans, but for the players too.

The Lakers still have the dominant LeBron James on their side. The team solved the Center issue that plagued them in the final months of the 2024-25 season by acquiring DeAndre Ayton. Others like Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt are being relied upon to defend well. Though JJ Redick presumably has his doubts about the two players, their recent improvement in conditioning helps them. Therefore, the 2024-25 season could see the franchise improve on a level that it hadn’t in the previous years.

The future of the Lakers, and his own, is now in Luka Doncic’s hands. What he chooses to do with the expectations set on him remains to be seen.