TITLE: Luka Doncic Says Upcoming Campaign Feels Like His First Day With the Lakers
SLUG: luka-doncic-says-upcoming-campaign-feels-like-first-day-with-lakers
CONTENT:
The Los Angeles Lakers open the 2025-26 NBA season on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors, and for guard Luka Doncic, the new schedule feels like a fresh beginning with his second NBA franchise.
Doncic, 26, arrived in Los Angeles via a February 2025 trade with the Dallas Mavericks and signed a contract extension at a press conference on Aug. 2 at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. Although he appeared in regular-season and playoff games for the Lakers last spring, the Slovenian star told The Athletic that this fall registers as “a start for me.”
“I’m way comfortable,” Doncic said. “Especially going to training camp, having practice with the guys—it’s a start for me. But I will feel way more comfortable now.”
The Lakers enter the season after a first-round playoff exit, but the front office believes the roster has improved. Part of that optimism centers on Doncic, who trimmed down over the summer and posted a historic showing for Slovenia at EuroBasket.
Transition from Dallas Complete
General manager Rob Pelinka faced uncertainty when he acquired Doncic, who was two years from free agency at the time of the trade. The guard had expressed affection for Dallas and his desire to win a championship there, making long-term commitment to Los Angeles a question mark.
Doncic acknowledged the difficulty of uprooting midseason, yet said the organization and fan base helped him settle quickly. He cited his first home game at Crypto.com Arena as the moment he genuinely “felt like a Laker” because of the arena’s energy and support.
Doncic owns five All-NBA First Team selections in the five seasons he has both started and finished with the same club while not being a rookie. The Lakers hope that a fully integrated and motivated version of the guard can lift them beyond last year’s early postseason exit.
The team’s first official test comes when the Warriors visit Los Angeles on Oct. 21.
Source: Lakers Nation
