Luka Dončić is used to being the alpha on his team. Dončić filled that role with the Dallas Mavericks, where he became the team’s de-facto star and leader on and off the court.
A surprising trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025 upended all of that. With LeBron James in town, Dončić had to adapt to a new role. He may have still been the best player on his team, but James was the captain of the ship.
With James now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Dončić said it “feels great” to assume his old role and take over as the Lakers’ leader.
Dončić’s comment was probably not meant to be a dig at James, as the two seemingly got along very well with the Lakers. It was likely more a comment on Dončić feeling comfortable as a team leader, a role he filled for years with the Mavericks.
Dončić explained as much while giving his answer. “I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me,” Dončić said. “I feel great. I feel excited.”
The shift from James to Dončić started before the offseason. With James out with an injury early last season, Dončić put the team on his back, averaging 34.4 points per game over his first 10 games.
That seemed to set the tone for the season, as Dončić’s average barely went down even when James returned. Dončić averaged 33.3 points the rest of the way, firmly putting himself in the MVP discussion until a late injury knocked him out of the running to win the award.
With James now gone, the Lakers are officially building around Dončić. This offseason, that meant trading for Walker Kessler and re-signing Austin Reaves. Dončić spoke extremely highly of both players when asked about them Monday.
Now that the team has a new look, the Lakers are looking for a better result in the playoffs. After losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, Dončić said the team’s goal is a championship. “If that’s not your goal,” Dončić said Monday. “I don’t know what you’re doing here.”
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