(Reuters) – Luka Doncic said on Tuesday he was as shocked as anyone by the blockbuster trade over the weekend that brought him to the Los Angeles Lakers but is excited to join forces with LeBron James in a move that could shape the franchise for years to come.
The 25-year-old Slovenian guard and perennial MVP contender admitted he figured he would spend his entire NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, which made the news of his trade late on Saturday all the more surprising.
“I was almost asleep when I got the call, I had to check (if) it was April 1st. I didn’t really believe it at first. It was a big shock. It was hard a moment for me,” said Doncic.
“(Dallas) was home so it was a really hard moment for me, especially the first day, but as I said I get to play in the greatest club in the world and I am excited about this new journey.”
Doncic, who has not played since Christmas Day because of a calf strain but is considered close to returning, had been with Dallas ever since a draft-night trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who took him with the third overall pick in 2018.
Last year, the five-times All-Star reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his career but the Mavericks lost 4-1 to the Boston Celtics in the best-of-seven championship series.
Now Doncic, who was wildly popular in Dallas, will chase a title alongside the NBA’s all-time top scorer in James, who he said was quick to reach out when the trade was announced.
“He called me right away,” Doncic said of his new teammate. “We didn’t talk much because he said I understand what you are feeling, but that was really nice of him just to call me right away and welcome me to LA.”
During his press conference, Doncic recounted a memorable encounter he had in 2019 when Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who was sitting courtside with his daughter Gianna for a game in Los Angeles, playfully heckled him in Slovenian.
“Well, first of all, I remember the exact moment that happened. It will always stay, you know, in my mind. It was an amazing moment,” said Doncic.
“Just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me. You know, I just wish Kobe and (his daughter Gianna nicknamed) Gigi were here to see this moment. And, you know, I’m excited about this new journey and happy to be here.”
Bryant, an 18-times All Star and five-times NBA champion, died in a January 2020 helicopter crash that also killed his daughter and seven others.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
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