Luka Doncic transformed the Los Angeles Lakers from a solid playoff team into a legitimate title contender and the team should feel confident about their chances as the 2025 NBA Playoffs kick off later this week.
The Lakers secured the No. 3 seed and will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, an opponent that Doncic is familiar with as he just saw them in the Western Conference Finals last postseason. Doncic led the the Dallas Mavericks to a five-game victory and represented the conference in the 2024 NBA Finals.
This year, Doncic and company are certainly hoping for a better result as the roster has the necessary star power, depth and coaching to make a real run at a championship. Alongside Doncic is LeBron James, who has happily ceded control over the offense to his co-star but remains an integral piece on both sides of the court.
Both Doncic and James are two of the most popular players in the NBA and the pairing finished first and third, respectively, in total jersey sales for the second half of the 2024-25 season, via the NBA:
The NBA's top-selling jerseys list… based on https://t.co/I0ypSvyq5i sales from the second half of the 2024-25 season! pic.twitter.com/yPVq9mfbpB
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2025
Doncic being at the top of the list isn’t a surprise as the Lakers are the most popular franchise in the league and adding a global superstar will provide an obvious boost in jersey sales. L.A.’s market isn’t just limited to the states as they’ve got a big global presence and employing an international star like Doncic is the perfect mix.
Meanwhile, James has perennially seen his name amongst the most popular jerseys in the NBA and it’s no surprise to see him so high on the list this late into his career. In between Doncic and James is Stephen Cury at No. 2, with Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic comprising the rest of the top 10.
Doncic is the first international player to top the most popular jerseys list and the first player other than Curry or James to top the list since the 2012-13 regular season. According to the NBA, jersey sales on NBAStore.com are up 21% since the Feb. 6 trade deadline, driven largely by Doncic’s trade to the Lakers.
While leading the league in jersey sales is quite the feat, the most important thing for Doncic is winning his first championship. Although Doncic is still chasing after his first ring, he understands that it will take everyone on the Lakers to win a title.
Sasha Vujacic compares Luka Doncic to Kobe Bryant
Luka Doncic is a generational superstar who has shades of several NBA legends in his game. For example, former Los Angeles Laker Sasha Vujacic compared Doncic to franchise legend Kobe Bryant because of their demeanors on the court.
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