“I Love the Way He Plays the Game:” Los Angeles Lakers Star LeBron James Opens Up About Playing With Luka Dončić
The Los Angeles Lakers made a blockbuster trade during the 2024-25 NBA season, acquiring Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks. The massive trade paired Dončić with LeBron James, the player he grew up idolizing.
During a conversation with the Wall Street Journal, James opened up about playing with Dončić.
“I just love the way he approaches the game,” James said. “I love the way he plays the game. More importantly, man, he’s just a great f—ing guy. Big-time savant of the game.
“I always use IQ as a measuring point in basketball—guys who can think the game. There are so many guys in our league who can play the game, but to be able to think the game as well puts you at another level.”
Luka Dončić and LeBron James, two of the top players in the NBA, played 23 games together last season. The Lakers went 15–8 in those games.
Dončić averaged 27.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.4 blocks alongside James, who averaged 23.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks next to Dončić in 2024-25.
James, 40, picked up his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers. He will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. The leading scorer in NBA history will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018.
Dončić wants James to retire from the NBA with the Lakers, a source told DallasHoopsJournal. Dončić has frequently said James was the player he watched most growing up. The former Mavericks star enjoyed playing alongside James last season and believes the Lakers can contend for the championship in 2025-26.
“You can tell he learned the game the right way,” James said about Dončić.
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