Luka Doncic is ready to turn his Los Angeles Lakers dream into a reality.
The LA Lakers have a new hero, with Luka Doncic mania gripping the team already. Sales of his number 77 jersey are soaring.
He is the first ever player to wear the number for the franchise, and if he is as good as billed, Doncic could be the last ever player to wear 77 too, joining the Lakers’ greats with their jerseys retired.
There is a long way to go, yet Doncic is fired up after his very unexpected exit from the Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic’s reputation has been run through the coals by Dallas, with the leadership of Nico Harrison and Patrick Dumont attempting to justify their decision to trade him.
Doncic is expected to be fired up, and comments made to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle before the Lakers recent game showed his mindset.
Former NBA star Chandler Parsons believes next season Luka Doncic will be the NBA MVP.
Parsons told Run It Back: “I will be betting next season that he wins the MVP. I think he goes nuts. I think he feels disrespected, I think he’s offended, and he should be.
“We all would be if we were him. Six months ago in the finals to being privately discretely being traded. I fully expect him to get in the best shape of his life.”
He added that he expects Doncic ‘to be an absolute monster heading into this season and going into the next’.
The NBA introduced a rule that to win the MVP Award, a player must play a minimum of 65 regular season games out of the full 82.
Doncic’s latest injury meant that in early-January, his chances to win the MVP Award for 2024/25 had been ruled out.
This will be biggest obstacle for Doncic next season too. His talent and motivation is not in question.
He just needs his body to hold up, and elements of this may be beyond his own control.
The Dallas Mavericks’ new addition Anthony Davis is already out with injury sustained on his debut, and if there is one thing everyone is agreed on with Doncic, it’s that his talent is not in doubt.
