El Segundo, Calif., Aug. 2, 2025 — The Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday that guard Luka Doncic will serve as an ambassador for Take Back Sports, an ESPN program created to keep children active and involved in athletics.
ESPN launched the initiative earlier this year with Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation founded by Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry. The program targets three areas in youth sports: philanthropic investment, a nationwide awareness campaign and storytelling that highlights positive experiences.
The new collaboration adds the Luka Doncic Foundation to the project. “Play changed my life. Every kid deserves the chance to play, learn, grow, have fun and make friends,” Doncic said in a statement. “The Luka Doncic Foundation and ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative are focused on making youth sports more accessible and less stressful for everyone. Together, we can bring the joy back to the game.”
Doncic, 26, has consistently supported youth athletics. His foundation previously partnered with the Aspen Institute on research comparing player development in the United States and abroad. After signing his contract extension with the Lakers, he pledged $5 million to assist 77 young athletes in pursuing their goals.
Team officials noted that Lakers majority owner Mark Walter has been a long-time admirer of Doncic’s work on and off the court. The two met after the organization arranged for Doncic to attend a Backstreet Boys concert earlier this summer.
Imagem: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images via lakersnation.com
Take Back Sports will roll out national programming later this year, with Doncic slated to appear in public-service announcements and community events tied to the campaign.
Source: Lakers Nation
