Kobe Bryant Warned Luka Doncic About NBA Target on International Players
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Los Angeles — Luka Doncic said Kobe Bryant cautioned him before his first NBA game that opponents would single him out because he was an international player.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the Slovenian guard recalled meeting Bryant at a Nike camp shortly before the 2018-19 season. “I remember him telling me: ‘You’re from Europe, watch out. They’re going to come after you,’” Doncic told the newspaper.
Doncic entered the league with significant expectations after dominating EuroLeague play for Real Madrid and being selected third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Bryant, who faced similar scrutiny when he debuted with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, warned that NBA players often test European newcomers, viewing them as soft.
The Dallas Mavericks star quickly proved he could compete at the highest level, earning Rookie of the Year honors and multiple All-Star selections. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the most recent offseason, a move he said caught him off guard because he expected to remain in Dallas for his entire career.
Source: Lakers Nation
