There have been questions and even doubts about whether Luka Doncic has it in him to be a bona fide leader, not just by example but also vocally and emotionally.
The Los Angeles Lakers are now all his. LeBron James has relocated to the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Lakers' success will ultimately hinge on how far Doncic takes them, assuming he has enough help around him.
He recently held a minicamp for his teammates in his native Slovenia, and it provided plenty of opportunities for everyone to not only get ready for the upcoming NBA season but also to bond together. Backup center Kevon Looney, one of nine new players on the roster, said during an appearance on ESPN L.A. 710 that Doncic is proving that he's the leader the team needs.
“I’ve been in
the league for a while and that’s my first time doing something like that,” Looney said on ESPN L.A. “Going to somebody’s country, bringing all of us out there and spending that much time together, I never did that before. So that just shows his character, showing that he really wants to win. He wants people to know his background, why he is how he is and I think he did a good job of that. He’s a great player and a great leader, and he likes to show what he can do on the court. And we got to see his personal life off the court, so it was great. We’re gonna follow him, run through a wall for him.”
Looney won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors, a team that had a well-developed culture year in and year out, so him saying that this was the first time he was involved in a preseason minicamp is saying something.
Forward Ziaire Williams, another new member of the Lakers, also said glowing things about Doncic's leadership following that recent minicamp.
The Lakers almost certainly won't be championship contenders this season, but their whole could exceed the sum of their parts if they have a high level of chemistry and cohesiveness. That could set the scene for a true championship run within two or three years if management brings in the final piece or two later on.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Kevon Looney: Lakers will 'run through a wall for' Luka Doncic
