Luka Dončić Aims to Follow Legacy of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Lakers have a championship legacy matched by few franchises in the NBA. With 17 titles in franchise history, the modern era of success has been defined by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, who last carried the Lakers to championships in 2009-10 and 2020, respectively. Now, the spotlight turns to Luka Dončić, the new face of the franchise.

In a recent sit-down interview with longtime Lakers fan and rapper Snoop Dogg, Dončić made it clear that he wants to be the next superstar to bring a championship to the Lakers.

“Kobe brought so many championships here. LeBron brought a championship here. I want to be the next one to do that for sure,” Dončić said. “I met Kobe, I’m playing with LeBron, just as a little kid in Slovenia, I just wanted to play basketball… and now I’m playing with the best.”

A new era in Los Angeles

Dončić is in his first full season with the Lakers following the blockbuster trade that brought him to Los Angeles before last season’s trade deadline. The early returns have been overwhelmingly positive. At 12-4, the Lakers are off to a hot start and currently hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, making them once again a serious contender.

MVP-level production

Dončić has been playing at an MVP-caliber level all season. Over 12 games, the superstar is putting up:

• 34.5 points
• 8.8 rebounds
• 8.9 assists
• 2.0 steals

He is also logging more than 37 minutes per game, while shooting 46.7% from the field, 31.1% from deep, and 79.3% from the free-throw line. His elite production has made him not just the Lakers’ top weapon, but also one of the league’s early favorites in the MVP race.

Lakers committed long-term

Los Angeles made a strong statement in the offseason by signing Dončić to a three-year, $165 million contract extension, securing his future with the franchise through at least the 2028-29 season. With LeBron still competing at a high level and Dončić entering his prime, the Lakers believe they have a championship window wide open once again.

Now, Dončić isn’t just playing for numbers—he’s playing to uphold a legacy forged by the greatest stars in Lakers history. And if his words match his play, he may be well on his way.