LeBron James and Luka Doncic were the NBA pairing that no one expected. In fact, no one expected Luka to leave Dallas at all. However, in perhaps the most rued decision in NBA history, Nico Harrison traded the then 25-year-old who was fresh off reaching his first NBA Final. Thus began the topsy-turvy partnership between James and Doncic.
In the roughly two years they spent as a duo, LeBron James and Luka Doncic did not win any gold. They did make the Playoffs in both seasons, however. Even so, not everyone was convinced by their pairing. Many believed James and Doncic were simply not a good fit on-court. Others believed Doncic could not come into his own while LeBron was around.
However, now things have changed. The ‘King’ is a 76ers now and Doncic has the team to himself. Even so, the Slovenian sensation hasn’t quite escaped the topic of LeBron James. He was recently asked about the 4x champion’s departure. As he discussed it, the Slovenian sensation revealed that the 41-year-old had reached out to him when leaving, a gesture which Doncic gladly reciprocated.
Luka Doncic reveals he reached out to LeBron James when he left
Despite the questions surrounding their partnership, there appears to be no bad blood between the two superstars. James and Doncic had less than two full seasons together in Los Angeles, but the younger star clearly valued his time alongside one of the greatest players in NBA history.
When James decided to leave the Lakers for Philadelphia, Doncic made sure to get in touch with his former teammate. The message was simple, but it carried plenty of weight given everything the two had shared since the trade that changed the NBA landscape.
“I reached out to him (when he left). ‘Thank you for everything,’ it was an honor being his teammate.”
“And I reached out to him. Thank you for everything. Obviously it was amazing being his teammate. Learned so many things”
Doncic’s comments also put to rest any idea that James’ presence had become an issue for him. The two never managed to bring another championship to Los Angeles, but they still helped the Lakers reach the Playoffs in consecutive seasons.
Now, however, Doncic enters his first full season without James by his side. The spotlight will be firmly on the Slovenian, who will have more responsibility than ever as the face of the Lakers.
Doncic appeared to take a dig at James earlier
While Doncic’s latest comments were full of respect for James, his remarks after the reshaping of the Lakers’ roster seemed to carry a different tone. At least that’s what fans believed. With several changes made over the offseason, the 27-year-old appeared happy with the direction of the team and the group that had been put around him. But it seemed to come at the expense of his former teammate.
“I’m very happy with everyone, fantastic guys came in and those who had to leave went away. We formed a beautiful family in Slovenia. I hope this is our season.”
The comments came as the Lakers moved on from one era and began building around Doncic. With James gone, the former Mavericks superstar is now the unquestioned centerpiece of the franchise. However, given his recent revelation, it appears any theories about him throwing shade on the NBA’s all-time top scorer are just, theories.
Whether the new-look Lakers can finally make a deep postseason run remains to be seen. For now, Doncic seems content with the group around him and ready to take charge of his own era in Los Angeles.
Luka Doncic Reveals LeBron James Reached Out To Him When He Left The Lakers