Luka Doncic tends to make a good impression on people right away. Just ask new Los Angeles Lakers wing Ziaire Williams, who recently spent time with Doncic (and the rest of the Lakers) in Slovenia.
Doncic “has big kid energy ... like a young, youthful spirit,” Williams told the Orange County Register. Williams also said he can already tell how much Doncic cares about his teammates and winning.
Luka Doncic is winning over his new Lakers teammates already
The trip to Slovenia served as a striking symbol of this new Lakers era, wherein Luka is the unquestionable face and leader of the franchise. Doncic paid for and organized the entire experience, which began with a private jet to Ljubljana and included basketball stuff (practice/intra-squad scrimmaging) and non-basketball stuff (team dinners, outdoor sightseeing).
Luka even reportedly brought his teammates to the outdoor court where he first started playing basketball as a young boy. LeBron James never did anything like this for the Lakers.
I'm kidding. My point is that Luka is clearly embracing his role as the leader of the wolfpack, and he understands that it's a role that goes beyond basketball. He's a leader of men, and he knows that the Lakers' identity and fortunes in the months and years to come will be a reflection of his own personality and performance.
The trip to Slovenia felt like an important bonding trip at the start of that journey. It was a 'Welcome into my incredible story; now let's make it even better" sort of vibe.
Luka Doncic's personality is often overshadowed by his talent (which is a shame)
Doncic is way more than a basketball genius. For a young player like Williams, who signed a one-year deal with the Lakers in July, Doncic's early leadership on and off the court has to feel refreshing. In the brutal business of pro sports, where everyone's more or less looking out for themselves and their next payday, it can be tough to form genuine bonds between players who are still looking to prove themselves and are more focused on that than any collective goal.
To transcend the business element of the NBA, the key is to remember that it's just a kid's game at the end of the day. That's where Luka's personality and approach are not only productive but contagious.
The "big kid energy" that Williams testified to matches what we see from Doncic from afar. On the court, he's ultra-competitive, of course, but he's also loose enough to clown around with teammates and have a laugh. There's a brevity to his personality that serves Luka well in high-pressure moments -- he's always playing free. Williams and the rest of the Lakers will surely benefit by following suit.
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