After sharing the reins with LeBron James last year, Luka Doncic is ready to make his mark as the new franchise star of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Upon returning to Los Angeles this week, Doncic was spotted at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo looking in peak physical condition. The Lakers’ social media team shared photos of him putting in work — lifting weights and draining shots — accompanied by an apt caption:
“Foot on the gas”
Luka Doncic Vows to Bring Title to Lakers
The photos of Doncic in the lab dropped just hours after an excerpt from new audio visual book, “Lakers: An Official History of the Purple & Gold,” were shared by Lakers Creative Director J Alexander Diaz.
The book features an essay from Doncic titled, “To Win It All: On Basketball and Belonging,” through which the Slovenian vows to deliver a title to the Lakers.
“I’m not sure that I ever could have imagined being here,” he wrote.
“It’s a wonderful surprise and it feels amazing and now I desperately want what all Lakers want: To win it all.”
Doncic also reflected on the legacy of the 17-time champion Lakers and why he’s honored to carry the torch from past greats.
“This is a city that is used to winning and winning big.
“I am so honored and grateful that I get the chance now to write my own championship chapters.”
Lakers Not in Title Hunt Yet
Doncic’s eagerness to bring Banner No. 18 to the Lakers notwithstanding, JJ Redick’s team is not viewed as a legitimate title contender this season.
Oddsmakers have set their over/under wins total at 46.5, which projects as either a sixth or seventh seed in the loaded Westernn Conference. ESPN has forecasted the Lakers to finish 45-37, an eight-win drop from last year’s 53-29 record, ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers (43-39), Phoenix Suns (42-40), Golden State Warriors (35-37) and Utah Jazz (34-48). The San Antonio Spurs (62-20), Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22), Denver Nuggets (51-31), Houston Rockets (51-31) and Minnesota Timberwolves (50-32) are projected to finish as the top-five seeds.
“The Lakers were a play-in team three times with LeBron James, and now that he is gone, it will be Luka Doncic’s challenge to lead L.A. to a top-six spot,” ESPN’s Dave wrote while forecasting the Lakers to finish as the sixth seed.
“The Lakers are coming off back-to-back 50-win seasons with coach JJ Redick but will field a drastically different lineup beyond the obvious change with James’ departure. Gone too are major contributors Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Luke Kennard, with Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton headlining the roster turnover.”
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