The Los Angeles Lakers are now undoubtedly Luka Doncic's team, even though he has been with them for just over 18 months. LeBron James is now calling the Northeast home as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Doncic has already started to flex his leadership muscles.
He recently held a minicamp for his teammates in his native Slovenia, and in addition to basketball activities, everyone got to take part in some golf and other fun excursions. It was a nice gesture by Doncic as the team prepares for the upcoming NBA season and hopes to prove the pundits who are doubting it wrong.
Forward Ziaire Williams, who is one of nine new players on the Lakers' roster, had some very complimentary things to say about Doncic's leadership, via Benjamin Royer
of the Southern California News Group.
“Williams said Doncic 'has big kid energy, like a young, youthful spirit,' adding that he could tell how much Doncic cared about winning games but also how much he cares about his teammates.
“'I can tell (Doncic’s) leadership. He wants to step up even more this year,' Williams said. 'I’m excited, man. I’m really excited to play with him. And of course, when we’re playing basketball, it’s just he makes the game just so easy and looks so simple. He’s going to make my life a lot easier for sure.'”
Doncic is coming off an MVP-caliber season during which he averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals a game and won his second scoring title. In a video from his recent minicamp, he looked noticeably slim, which led fans to feel that he could perform even better this coming season.
Williams could help the Lakers' cause with his ability to effectively guard players on the perimeter, an ability they have lacked in recent seasons. He said that the role the team has laid out for him is to be a point-of-attack defender, and on offense, he expects to play off Doncic and Austin Reaves, especially by hitting 3-pointers and getting out in transition.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Ziaire Williams says Luka Doncic has been showing excellent leadership
