Luka Dončić was introduced on Tuesday as the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers, following Saturday night’s shocking trade from the Dallas Mavericks that shook the NBA.
Sitting on a dias alongside Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, Dončić said he would “take the high road” in response to comments about him from the Mavericks after the trade was made.
“At some point, I knew this was going to happen, but I always take the high road,” Dončić said. “I had my amazing moments in Dallas with my teammates, coaches and, most importantl,y the fans. They always supported me. It was an amazing journey.”
Dončić said he has always looked up to new teammate LeBron James and called it “a dream come true” to play with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Though he said he hasn’t had much time to think about basketball since the whirlwind circumstances of the trade, Dončić has thought about how he and James will work together on the court.
“I’m excited to learn from him,” he said. “We both make our teammates better. Our IQ is very high.”
Aware of the criticisms toward his conditioning and dedication to basketball, Dončić said proving those detractors wrong was a “motive” as he joined the Lakers. Pelinka added that at 25 years old, Dončić has so much growth ahead of him.
“Greatness is an evolution and a process,” he said. “You’re going to have challenges to get better until you don’t play anymore.”
Pelinka did not give an exact date for when Dončić would make his Lakers debut, but said the team’s sports performance department was working on a timeline. The team has scheduled Dončić to participate in a 5-on-5 scrimmage soon.
The Lakers will face the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night at 10 p.m. ET. with the game to be televised on TNT.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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