On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
The Lakers entered at a disadvantage, with Luka Doncic still recovering from an injury. They face the defending NBA champions, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s reigning MVP.
There have been conflicting reports about Doncic’s recovery timeline, with some saying he could return against the Thunder while others say he’ll likely miss the entire series.
Ric Flair Calls Out Luka Doncic
GettyRic Flair speaks to the crowd before Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on April 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Before the start of Game 1, WWE legend Ric Flair had a social media rant about Luka Doncic and his injury. Flair was flabbergasted by Doncic’s injury, urging the player to get a shot and play through the injury because of his huge salary.
“The Nature Boy” also wanted Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss to trade Doncic, calling the superstar a “lame duck.”
“Luka @lukadoncic , Please Get In The Game! Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF! I Hope @JeanieBuss Trades You Next Year. Nobody Wants A Lame Duck On Their Team!” Flair tweeted.
It also won’t be surprising if Flair apologizes later since he has been ranting on social media regularly and apologizing after getting called out by fans.
Flair is a huge basketball fan, especially of LeBron James. He has supported James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was also a special guest of the Lakers in last year’s playoffs, introducing the players in Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Before the Doncic tweet, Flair also had a message for “King James.”
“LeBron @KingJames ! Tonight, You And The @Lakers Will Make History! So Much Respect For You! LFG! WOOOOO!”
Unfortunately for the Lakers, they are the underdogs against the Thunder.
Worrying Luka Doncic Injury Update
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst delivered a concerning update on Luka Doncic’s injury.
It has been more than a month since Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain, but Windhorst reported that the Lakers superstar has yet to ramp up despite a recovery timeline of four to six weeks.
“I don’t think Luka has begun recovery conditioning yet,” Windhorst said, via BasketNews. “When you’re out for a month after a procedure, you have to build back up, and I don’t think he’s there yet. We saw incremental updates with Austin Reaves, but with Luka, we’ve only seen him shooting. It’s possible he’s doing more and they’re not saying, but it’s a pretty severe hamstring injury.”
Windhorst also questioned if Doncic really got treatment in Spain last month, since Germany is more known for stem cell recovery.
WWE Legend Ric Flair Blasts Luka Doncic Over Injury, Urges Lakers to Trade Him