Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6535653/2025/08/05/luka-doncic-lakers-contract-extension-nba/
His reputation was bruised after Dallas traded him to Los Angeles in February. His professional footing had been totally undone, plans of someday retiring with the Mavericks voided with a single phone call.
After the Lakers were eliminated in the first round against Minnesota, Dončić said he was “mentally kind of exhausted from everything that happened.” But that wasn’t the version of him that returned to the U.S. for this tour.
Lara Beth Seager, Dončić’s manager, said he’s no longer carrying any baggage from his exit from Dallas.
“He’s moved on,” she told The Athletic.
Dončić underwent a physical transformation this offseason, fasting 16 hours a day and adhering to strict to diet and workout plans. He detailed the plans in a cover story for Men’s Health Magazine that served as the tone-setter for his trip. He spoke about the changes during a New York Yankees broadcast and in an appearance on “The Today Show.”
While in New York, Dončić and his team dined at Cecconi’s and The Corner Store. He also taped an episode of “Hot Ones” and visited the Statue of Liberty for the first time. At the Yankees game, Dončić met with new Lakers owner Mark Walter for the first time. Dončić also surprised league employees by visiting the NBA’s New York headquarters.
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“He’s eating a bunch of chicken wings! I knew I made the right decision!”
-Nico, probably
He’s moved on but i’ll never move on. Watching him dominate and then watching AD play is gonna be a kick to the nuts every night.
Dude was already pretty famous when he was in Dallas.
Now in the LA market, he’s becoming a global icon.
generational pr run
It’s like reading stuff from a breakup.
“He’s over you, doesn’t even talk about you anymore. We all agree!”
Nothing says “I’ve moved on” like numerous articles about how you’re now in your hot girl era
Also from his manager Lara Beth Seager on Luka committing his future with the Lakers:
**“I think it was always known that, when Luka was traded here, it’s, ‘He’s here now,’” Seager said. “He wants to win where he is, and it’s important that he wins and that we’re working together with the team so we’re not waiting. His mindset has never been to hop around. His mindset is to win championships.**
**“His mindset is to build where he is and to work together. And as long as he’s signed with a team, it’s a marriage and you treat it like a marriage. And marriages have hard times and good times, but you’re loyal and you’re faithful to each other through it all. And that’s just who Luka is. I don’t think he ever thought. ‘I’m not signing my extension.’”**
**“He’s only looking forward. And he’s here. He wants to get the best players here. He wants to win, and he knows it starts with him,” Seager said. “And I think that’s what he proved this offseason. ‘OK, everyone wants to say or people think that they know me or I’m not a leader or I’m this way, or I’m that way, I don’t care. They can think and say whatever they want.**
**“I’m gonna show them who I am.’”**
This sub picks a topic to beat to death for 6 months at a time, jfc
Alright
he is just going to say “amazing ” after every sauce
Life is pretty damn good for him, I didn’t expect much baggage.
Luka has been the most covered NBA star this offseason well him and LeBron. Seems like Luka is really going to be the new face of the NBA. League seems to be prepping this way.
I reckon we can spin this into at least five more articles
luka seems to be the kind of guy to make the best of any situation. when he was drafted the Mavs had just come off of a 24-58 season, atrocious. Then they went to the playoffs the next 4/6 seasons.
after the whole brooklyn fiasco with Kyrie, they shipped him off to Dallas and what could have been another team implosion turned into one of the best duos in the entire league.
then he was shipped off to the lakers and at least put on a face to seem like he was happy to be there. now he’s in one of the best areas for self-marketing, one of the best areas to be an athlete, and one of the best areas to attract good teammates and it looks like he’s taking it well.
I know the hot ones has deep cut questions. We better get Luka talking about his overwatch love
hot wings have mental/emotional healing properties
Man these Laker stories this offseason are obnoxious.
I don’t blame them because it gets engagement (I’m helping this by engaging with it), but it’s a lot and pretty over the top between the Luka and LeBron stories.
is there a “fuck dallas” media push going on? lmao they are already dead and these “journalist” just dancing on their corpse.
No more Michael Finley lurking behind to take his beer away.
Oh it was pretty obvious when it happened that Dallas would be talking about Luka a lot longer than Luka would be talking about Dallas
Luka had 2 way wings….cause it hurts going in and hurts going out.
👏FUCK👏YES👏
“He’s getting into the best shape of his NBA career and maintaining a strict diet for absolutely no reason!”
Lol
I swear if anyone moved from Dallas to LA, to make 50m a year, they’d love LA.
way to bury the lede there
He just went on a full blown press tour focused on addressing the reason our dumb ass GM gave for trading him lol.
We’ve reached full-on “hot-celebrity-media-tour-post-break-up” level nonsense here. It’s not Luka’s fault but GD is this stupid.
Bro is rebounding hard. From a marriage and commitment to an f boy.
Love it!
I really want to see what Lukas game would be like with his fitness regiment.
I hate you, Nico.
I mean… how mad can you stay moving from Dallas to L.A 😂
probably recognizing how much more money he can make in LA
Lakers PR working overtime. But for real its good on Luka to improve himself in the hopes to prove any naysayers wrong.
Luka “Guy Who is Going to be Okay” Doncic
Luka quickly realized being worth 9 figures in Southern California is really nice. Dallas is great, but if you had a choice of where to live as a young wealthy famous person, it’s hard to beat LA as an NBA city.