Camille Naredo

Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News

Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025.

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1738694156713020525_Luka Doncic 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News"/>Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News</div>LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic vowed to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to NBA championship glory on Tuesday at his formal unveiling by the club following his stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks.The 25-year-old Slovenian superstar admitted he was still adjusting to the shock of being moved on by the Mavs, saying he had always believed he would spend his entire career in Dallas.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/2/2/lakers-acquire-doncic-from-mavs-in-exchange-for-davis-report-1402">READ: Lakers acquire Doncic from Mavs in exchange for Davis</a></div>But Doncic said the prospect of playing alongside LeBron James for arguably the NBA&#x27;s most iconic franchise represented a &quot;dream come true.&quot;Talking about the moment he learned he was being traded late on Saturday, Doncic said he initially hadn&#x27;t believed what he was told.&quot;Everybody else was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,&quot; he told a press conference. &quot;I was almost asleep, so when I got a call, I had to check it wasn&#x27;t April 1.&quot;I didn&#x27;t really believe it at first, and it was a big shock. It was hard moments for me. (Dallas) was home. So it was really hard, especially the first day.&quot;I felt like this last 48 hours was one month, like two days ago was one month ago.&quot;But as I said, I get to play in the greatest club in the world, and I&#x27;m excited for this new journey.&quot;Doncic&#x27;s exit from the Mavericks -- which sent Lakers defensive star Anthony Davis in the opposite direction -- is widely regarded as the most jaw-dropping trade in NBA history.Reports have suggested Dallas opted to trade Doncic after concerns about his fitness and conditioning.Doncic said he planned to use those thinly veiled criticisms as a motivating force as he embarks on his Lakers career.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2025/2/2/mavs-boss-defends-doncic-davis-deal-as-trade-stuns-nba-0718">READ: Mavs boss defends Doncic-Davis deal as trade stuns NBA</a></div><div>- &#x27;Everything to prove&#x27; -<img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1738694116491020525_Luka Doncic.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News"/>Luka Doncic is introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at the UCLA Health Training Center, in El Segundo, California on February 4, 2025. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News</div>&quot;It&#x27;s a motive -- I know it&#x27;s not true -- but it&#x27;s a motive,&quot; Doncic said. &quot;It&#x27;s a big motive for a long run here.&quot;Asked if he felt he had something to prove in Los Angeles, Doncic added: &quot;Of course. To win the championship. You don&#x27;t come here for anything else. I have everything left to prove and the goal is to win the championship.&quot;Doncic meanwhile revealed that LeBron James had been one of the first people to contact him following news of the trade late on Saturday.&quot;He called me right away,&quot; Doncic revealed. &quot;He was in New York. We didn&#x27;t talk much. He said &#x27;I understand what you&#x27;re feeling&#x27; but that was really nice of him just to call me right away and welcome me to LA.&quot;Doncic said playing alongside the 40-year-old James would be an opportunity to learn.&quot;It&#x27;s just like a dream come true. I always look up to him. There&#x27;s so many things I can learn from him. And I&#x27;m just excited to learn everything, and now I get to play with him. It&#x27;s an amazing feeling.&quot;I think we both make our teammates better. I think our IQ is very high, so I think that&#x27;s going to help everybody. I&#x27;m just excited to work with him. Every day that goes by is going to be better.&quot;<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/2/3/nba-doncic-thanks-special-mavs-fans-after-shock-trade-to-lakers-1415">READ: Doncic thanks &#x27;special&#x27; Mavs fans after shock trade to Lakers</a></div>Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka meanwhile said Doncic&#x27;s arrival in Los Angeles signaled a new era for the club, describing the trade as a landmark moment in NBA history.&quot;I think Luka Doncic joining forces with the Los Angeles Lakers is a seismic event in NBA history,&quot; Pelinka said, declining to put a timeframe on when Doncic, who is recovering from a calf injury, would make his Lakers debut.&quot;We have a 25-year-old global superstar that&#x27;s going to get on the stage of the most popular and influential basketball brand on the globe,&quot; Pelinka said.&quot;And I think when those two powerful forces come together, it brings basketball joy to the world, because that&#x27;s how Luka plays.&quot;<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Luka Doncic vowed to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to NBA championship glory on Tuesday at his formal unveiling by the club following his stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic vowed to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to NBA championship glory on Tuesday at his formal unveiling by the club following his stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks.

NBA: Doncic hungry for titles after shock Lakers trade

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NBA: Doncic hungry for titles after shock Lakers trade

Agence France-Presse,

Rob Woollard

Published February 05, 2025 02:36 AM PHT

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