The Los Angeles Lakers brought their new-look roster to Slovenia — funded and led by Luka Doncic — for a minicamp to help build early chemistry. The entire roster — minus rookie Cam Carr — flew out to Ljubljana for the event, with nearly the entire team coming from the United States. Sandro Mamukelashvili, one of L.A.’s premier offseason signings, came from Georgia in the midst of FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Mamukelashvili received a four-year, $52 million contract from the Lakers in the offseason after a breakout 2025-26 campaign with the Toronto Raptors. He brings shooting, passing, IQ, some athleticism and positive help defense in a stretch big role. And the Georgian big man is excited about the Lakers after spending the time in Slovenia with Doncic and company.
“First of all, shout out to Luka (Doncic). I think the organization was amazing, the way they planned everything,” Mamukelashvili said on ESPN Los Angeles. “They showed us a lot of great places, Ljubljana is a really, really nice city. Plus, you know, it was great for the new team. It’s a lot of, a bunch of, new guys on the team and all of us being together, it didn’t even feel like it was a lot of new guys. We all gelled really well, everybody was very positive. I’m super excited for the season, because I see how excited everybody is.”
The unanimous verdict from the Slovenia trip is just how much everyone enjoyed it and how quickly team chemistry developed, which was exactly the hope from Doncic when he put everything together. The Lakers are among the most different teams in the NBA from last season, so they have to do things to rival the familiarity that most other Western Conference teams have.
Mamukelashvili has never played a single game alongside any other member of the Lakers. Walker Kessler — the team’s new starting center — only knows Collin Sexton, the team’s new sixth man. Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams are brand new while Quentin Grimes only played a short stretch of time with Doncic before both were traded away from the Dallas Mavericks.
As has been the case with every other player that’s talked about Slovenia, it was mission accomplished for Doncic and the Lakers.
Kevon Looney willing to run through a wall for Doncic after Lakers minicamp
One of the most positive responses from the Slovenia trip was from backup center Kevon Looney. The three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors has played with Stephen Curry, but had remarkable things to say about Doncic’s leadership.
The biggest of those things is that the team’s Slovenia trip had him ready to run through a wall for Doncic ahead of the 2026-27 season.
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