The Los Angeles Lakers transformed their roster this offseason, and it sounds like all of the newcomers are pumped to play alongside Luka Doncic. Then again, why wouldn't they be?
Quentin Grimes spoke glowingly about Doncic recently, and Sandro Mamukelashvili also had some positive things to say about Luka.
Sandro Mamukelashvili praises Luka Doncic ahead of 2026-27 season
"It's cool to just be his teammate now, because I remember there were rankings in Europe and I would always see he was always number one," Mamukelashvili said. "So I was just trying to get there. Now just being his teammate is, it's amazing. I really do think ... he can make my life a lot easier."
Mamukelashvili, who is Georgian, moved to Italy when he was 14 to attend high school. He played for the Angelico Biella club there at the U17, U18, and U19 levels before moving to the United States, where Mamukelashvili attended Montverde Academy and played alongside RJ Barrett.
Mamukelashvili ultimately took his talents to Seton Hall, where he capped a four-year career by winning Big East co-Player of the Year in 2021. He was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers, who promptly traded Mamukelashvili to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Mamukelashvili now has five NBA seasons under his belt with the Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, and Toronto Raptors. The Lakers are getting "Mamu" at the perfect time, just as he's coming into his prime.
Two seasons ago, Mamu showed the basketball world what he could do when he dropped 34 points in 19 minutes for the Spurs in a game versus the New York Knicks. He's been on plenty of people's radar ever since, and he's been constantly improving.
Now, Mamu gets to play alongside Doncic, who, as Mamu himself commented on, is about to make life easier.
Mamu will find himself getting plenty of open looks from 3, where he thrives, and the Lakers will also be relying on Mamu to use his size to rebound and offer physicality on defense.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is part of a new-look Lakers squad that Luka Doncic is happy with
Luka recently said that he's happy with the Lakers' roster and is excited for the new season to get underway. Mamukelashvili and the rest of Doncic's teammates sound excited, too, and the Lakers might benefit from all of that energy at the beginning of the season.
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