A longtime Slovenian national teammate of Luka Doncic made a comment that provides strong hope for Los Angeles Lakers fans. Despite re-signing Austin Reaves and trading for Walker Kessler, the Lakers’ plan is to have Doncic carry most of the load this season. Rob Pelinka put together a team that only succeeds if Luka has an NBA MVP caliber season every year.
Doncic’s teammate Edo Muric said the following about why Lakers fans should expect the best version of Luka ever:
“Luka looks better and better when I see him every year now. He is now at that age where he is at a peak of his powers. He’s not a kid anymore, now he’s a man and he really looks good. I had a chance to feel that on my own skin.
Everytime I see him with a ball he’s better and better. So I can’t wait for the next season to see him in even bigger role with Lakers. I just hope he stays healthy whole season. Because really, this could be his best season yet and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Muric believes that Doncic has matured into a man and looks better than ever this offseason. The Lakers will need Luka to be an equal or more likely better than fellow top West stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanayma for the team to have any chance of title contention.
Why Luka Doncic Could Finally Have MVP Season
Many fans and pundits have already started making the argument that Doncic is the best player in league history to never win the MVP Award. The statistical accolades and NBA Finals trip with the Dallas Mavericks proved Luka is one of the best players of his era.
However, Doncic has failed to win one while Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic each have multiple MVP Awards. The role leading the Lakers after losing LeBron James and other talented rotation pieces puts more pressure on Luka.
Current odds view the Lakers ranked somewhere between fourth and seventh in the Western Conference to make them a secondary contender. If the Lakers win over 50 games, Doncic will have a strong MVP chance. Luka will have to score huge wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder to outdo his rivals and create an MVP narrative.
Why Luka Doncic’s Teammates Made This Comment
Muric is a little older than Doncic and probably knows him better than any NBA player. Slovenia’s national team practices and plays together most offseasons. Two seasons with the Lakers have seen Luka playing strong basketball behind head coach JJ Redick.
This season will be the first time Doncic has full control of the offense with Reaves now a second option likely running the offense with Luka on the bench. New teammates like Kessler, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton must benefit from Doncic’s leadership.
Things like working harder to get in shape and inviting his teammates to Slovenia shows that Luka is ready to do something special. Doncic will have the goals of NBA Championship contention and the MVP Award on his mind this year.
Longtime Luka Doncic Teammate Predicts Best NBA Season Yet