We rarely if ever see a big-name player get traded just as he is entering his prime. But that is what happened after the Dallas Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now in LA, Luka can adopt a true Kobe Bryant personality. He already showed the first signs by changing his profile picture on social media.
Luka Doncic Adopts a Mamba Mentality In Los Angeles
Luka has already arrived in Los Angeles, with GM Rob Pelinka welcoming to the city and the team. Right after the blockbuster trade that got him to Los Angeles, the Slovenian changed his Twitter profile picture and header, the profile picture shows Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant, while his header is a picture of Luka and the Black Mamba meeting after a game. Even his first statement as a Laker shows a true Mamba mentality.
Grateful for this amazing opportunity. Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion and goal – to win championships. https://t.co/psfgI5o9Pn
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) February 2, 2025
Luka is only 25 years old and will have plenty of opportunities to accomplish his goal in Los Angeles. The Lakers have managed to somehow keep plenty of assets to build the team around Luka. They still have their 2031 pick to trade, swaps in 2026, 2028, and 2030, and they can also swap picks in 2032 next summer.
Luka is the Perfect Laker
Like Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic loves the pressure and rivalries. He doesn’t shy away from going against the best players in the league. That is what made Kobe beloved by fans. They share another similarity, they both hate the Clippers.
Luka’s rivalry with the Clippers is well-documented, as the teams met three times in the playoffs. Yes, Luka won only one series, but he has been extremely dominant against them. In the 2021 playoffs, Luka was the only reason the series went to seven games. He averaged 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 10.3 assists against the Clippers in that series on 49% shooting. Luka’s rivalry with Devin Booker and the Suns was also notable.
Luka Doncic’s Admiration for Kobe Bryant is Deep
Some fans might not remember, but last year, Luka dropped 73 points on the fourth anniversary of Kobe’s passing. On that magical evening, Luka shot 25-33 from the field, including 8-13 from the three, he also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished seven assists.
To this day, only two players have scored more than Luka. Kobe has an 81-point game, and Wilt Chamberlain has a 100-point game and a 78-point game. There have been plenty of reports previously about the relationship Luka and Kobe had. For example, when the Lakers legend would watch Luka live, he would always talk to him in Slovenian to try and disrupt him.
Luka Going on a Vengeance Tour
Kobe Bryant played at his best when he was under pressure; he cherished those moments. Bryant won five titles and had plenty of clutch moments along the way. He is one of the best playoff performers of all time. Some of his best moments include an eight-point performance in overtime of Game 4 of the 2000 Finals and a 48-point masterclass to secure a Finals appearance in 2001.
Moreover, after the Lakers traded Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe was determined to prove he could lead his own team. For a few years, Kobe kept the Lakers afloat after trading for Pau Gasol Bryant led the Lakers to two titles in 2009 and 2010. Similar to Kobe being motivated by leading his own team Luka could use this trade to motive him.
Brian Windhorst talked about this on the recent Hoop Collective podcast. He said,
“If I am Luka, this is the ultimate rebuke. This is the ultimate insult. There’s no way that anybody is turning down $350 million. So what they’re basically saying is ‘We don’t think you’re worth the money.’ It’s SHOCKING.”
Think about for a moment how well angry Luka plays. The whole league might be put on notice. With Luka adopting a Mamba Mentality from Kobe, the Lakers will be happy to see him go and destroy every team. He will get his first chance to show the Mavericks what they lost on February 25th, when Dallas comes to Los Angeles. The lopsided trade put Luka on the Lakers, and now he might be the one to mark the next five to seven years.
Photo credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
