Kobe Bryant is arguably the most beloved player in the storied history of the Los Angeles Lakers and their franchise. Luka Doncic has an opportunity to give Lakers fans the same warm feeling in the pit of their stomach that the Black Mamba did.
Fans all over what was formerly called the Staples Center would flood the arena to watch Bryant back in his day. The Mamba Mentality brought an infectious energy to the building that few players across the league could match in their own buildings.
Kobe was often described as a killer on the court. The five-time NBA champion was someone who was constantly dialed in and played with a relentlessness and force of will that easily made him a fan favorite.
With Doncic donning the purple and gold, there are a lot of similarities to be found between the two Lakers superstars.
Doncic has quickly captured the hearts of Lakers fans
Known Boston Celtics fan, Bill Simmons, came on his podcast recently to discuss the impact that Doncic has had in Los Angeles. The pain in his heart had to feel very real for the conversation he was about to have.
Simmons was discussing the smack talking that Doncic brought to the recent game against the Denver Nuggets. The NBA analyst opened up about how the Lakers point guard was letting everyone have it: opposing fans, referees, and the Nuggets too.
That led to one major takeaway for Simmons, he said it 'just feels like he [Doncic] belongs in LA.'
"I was thinking about if you're going to have the perfect Laker for central casting, you'd want somebody who's a little polarizing, which Luka is," Simmons said. "You have no ceiling in any game you go to with Luka, which I think is as rare as it gets. It's the thing that made [Stephen] Curry so special the last 10 years."
Simmons talked about all the different, elite things that Doncic can do on the court and how it creates an unbelievable environment in Crypto.com Arena. He also touched upon the 'Hollywood redemption comeback story' that Doncic gets to enjoy with the Lakers after the Dallas Mavericks did not think they could win a title with him and did not want to fork over the chunk of money that Luka was owed.
Bill eventually concluded that the energy reminded him of the Bryant days. Simmons wrapped up saying, 'You kind of either have that or you don't, and he [Doncic] has it."
After getting discarded by the Mavericks, the Lakers organization and their fans have really embraced Doncic as one of their own. It feels like one big hug with everyone involved.
With Doncic's time in Dallas having such a murky ending, the generational talent is unlikely to be remembered as a Maverick upon the conclusion of his career. His future and his legacy can be built and defined in Los Angeles.
That only adds to the energy of watching the top five player on a nightly basis. The fanbase is clearly ready to feed off the magic that Luka brings to the court every time he plays.
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