Translator's note: The original text was published in The Athletic, and the data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 24 local time). The dates and times involved were all local time
Katowice, Poland - It was the morning, and one of the world's best basketball players was leading his small national team to continue to advance in the European Championships. On the twenty-seventh floor of the hotel, Luca Doncic walked to the table by the floor-to-ceiling window, sat down on a chair, and began to sip a double espresso.
This is a new beginning to control it—the day begins the way he and the team want: a cup of hot coffee and a sweeping view. And this day will also end with Doncic scoring 26 points for the Slovenian men's basketball team and defeating the tenacious Iceland men's basketball team.
The future of Doncic was heralded by the game in Poland this summer and later in Latvia, after an injury and a shocking deal, and now the player is returning to his peak.
Now, when Doncic returns to Los Angeles next week to start training camp with the Lakers, he will completely open a new chapter in his life.
"This," Doncic said in an interview with The Athletic, "it felt like a start for me." There is no doubt that the Lakers are lucky to get Doncic at this moment. The five-time NBA All-Squad superstar reshaped his body at the beginning of the summer and looked like he was the most dominant player in Europe this summer.
Jenny Bass, Robert Pelinka, Cot Lambis and Linda Lambis, as well as the team's director of player performance and health, Dr. Leroy Sims, all flew to Poland to witness the new beginning with their own eyes.
"He looked at it very comfortable," Bass said in an interview with The Athletic. "His focus on basketball, not on distraction. He felt relieved and his thoughts became clear... He knew where he wanted to go. He knew where he was now."
He had promised his allegiance to the Lakers, and on the first day the Lakers could offer him a contract, he signed a three-year early extension. He ranks third in MVP odds, behind Shea Gilgers Alexander and Nicola Jokic. He has the market appeal of the Jordan brand, the Lakers' global brand awareness and more than enough on-court charm - a face that is so suitable for leading a team that he instantly replaced 40-year-old LeBron James and became the guiding light for the team.
"He's kind of like a magician," Pelinka said while in Poland. "Some of what he does on the court, you can't fully understand unless you watch the game live."
This new beginning became a reason to feel optimistic - the timing was just right, allowing Doncic to take his starship to new heights on the biggest stage in basketball.
"The big scene, you know, in my opinion, is for people with big hearts." Doncic said.
But unlike most of the beginnings, this time was a preview. Joining the Lakers in February gave Doncic a sense of what life would look like in Los Angeles. After he was traded by the Mavericks and before his debut for the new team, the Lakers brought him to the midfield and introduced him to fans like European footballers meeting with supporters of the new club. His first official game in Los Angeles was a big deal, with the No. 77 gold Lakers jersey on every seat in the arena (and James also wore it when he warmed up before the game).
However, the deal that sent him to Los Angeles left a clear trauma on Doncic. He had a calf injury and had a weight exceeding his weight for more than a month. What's more striking in his first press conference to come to the Lakers was not what he actually said, but that he still looks very shocked.
When he stepped onto the court on behalf of the new team, Doncic was able to use some "Luca Magic" - a long pass to James, a behind-the-back to Austin Reeves, an all-over to Jaxson Hayes, a wonderful pass to Gabe Vincent that exclaimed "how did he do it", and a three-pointer back from the left wing more than once.
After he joined the team, the Lakers defeated the Nuggets, Clippers and Rockets twice, and also defeated the Thunder, Pacers and Knicks respectively. But the Lakers' lifeless playoff performance - they scored only twice in five games against the Timberwolves - made the championship feel out of reach.
"We could have played that way," Doncic said of the highlights, "but I don't think we played that way in the playoffs." The physical change after the season was obvious - a physical change put Doncic on the cover of Men's Health magazine, and his explosiveness to the rim was improved, as did the defensive end, which led him to the European Championship All-Series despite the Slovenian men's basketball team losing in the quarter-finals. The spiritual changes are even more subtle. Edo Muric, Doncic's Slovenian teammate and close friend, said the NBA star has grown into a stronger leader. In the NBA context, this means Doncic plays a more important role in recruiting free agents like DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart. And in the national team, this means adjusting the standards for a team that is far less talented than his.
"Every year he is more willing to speak out and he is more patient with the players because he comes from a different level than us," Muric said, "and sometimes, some mistakes are unacceptable to him.. Maybe he had too high expectations of us in the past because he came from a world we did not belong to, do you understand? "
" But now as he matures, he understands this. And he gave us more and more trust. "
Doncic admits that at this stage of his career, he needs to speak out more actively in order to make his team as good as possible.
"I mean, that's probably what I need to do - especially since I've been through a lot of games now," Doncic said. "I've gone through a lot, so I feel like I need to stand up and help others." ”
This means yelling out loud for a defensive missed person during a pause, or encouraging teammates to stand up from the bench and cheer for their teammates’ good ball.
" (as a leader) sometimes feels comfortable, sometimes it is not," he said, "Sometimes it is great to be a leader, but sometimes you have to say something you don't want to say, but that's part of being a leader. ”
Doncic's success this summer not only belongs to Slovenia, but also a victory for the Lakers. They once again saw their players participating in the most important offseason game.
"He is a member of the Lakers, connecting us together. It's a global bond," Bass said, "I can't think of a more representative of Lakers basketball than Luca and what he brings to the game. In a different context, seeing him in European Championships feels like seeing Kobe or LeBron at the Olympics, or the ‘Magic’ Johnson in the Dream Team. ”
New mindset, new body, a new understanding of the new team--when Doncic welcomes this opportunity, it all seemed ready, an opportunity to prove his former club’s mistake, an opportunity to demonstrate his offseason effort and sacrifice value, and an opportunity to become a more dazzling superstar on the stage the Lakers can provide.
"I'm much more comfortable," he said with a smile, "especially when attending training camp, you know, training with your teammates, like I said, it's a start for me. "
" But now I feel much more comfortable. ”
And this should make others on the Lakers' path feel a little uneasy.
Author: Dan Woike
Translator: GWayNe
source:7m en