The Los Angeles Lakers begin the 2025-26 NBA season in less than four weeks when they face the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21. It marks the start of Luka Doncic’s first full season as a member of the franchise after being traded to L.A. in February of last season and signing an extension with the Lakers in August.
The Lakers go into the 2025-26 season with the general consensus being that they improved slightly on their team that lost in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Some of that improvement comes from Doncic himself, as the 26-year-old slimmed down significantly in the summer and had a historic EuroBasket showing for Slovenia.
Now he’s ready to take the floor for the Lakers for the first time to begin a new season. And for him, despite already debuting in L.A., this new campaign feels fresh for the European superstar, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:
“This,” Doncic tells The Athletic, “feels like a start for me.”
Many wondered how long it would take for Doncic to mentally and emotionally transition from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers, but it seems that transition has firmly been made:
“I’m way comfortable,” he said with a grin. “Especially going to training camp, you know, having practice with the guys — like I said, it’s a start for me.
“But I will feel way more comfortable now.”
A comfortable, slimmed down and motivated Doncic is a dangerous thought for the rest of the league. After all, this is the player with five All-NBA first team selections in the five seasons where he’s started and finished the year with the same team and wasn’t a rookie.
This feeling like a fresh start for the superstar means that the Lakers may get a version of him they didn’t see at all in their unexpected months together last season.
Luka Doncic details first moment he felt like Laker
When the Lakers surprisingly traded for Luka Doncic, there was speculation on whether he wanted to remain in L.A. for the long term. Inherently, general manager Rob Pelinka took a risk because the Slovenian guard was due for a new contract in two years.
It was a tough adjustment for Doncic because he loved playing for the Dallas Mavericks and he truly wanted to bring a championship to the city. However, the NBA is a cruel business at times and he had to uproot his entire life midseason, which is tough for any player.
The only way Doncic would feel at home is if the Lakers front office and fanbase made it feel like one. When asked about the moment he felt like a Laker, the 26-year-old said his first home game due to the electric environment and support he received.
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