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Luka Doncic is looking forward to returning to the court and making his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Reflecting briefly on his time with the Dallas Mavericks, the 25-year-old guard addressed discussions from his former team regarding his preparation, weight, and more since the major trade.
“That’s okay. I’ve faced questions countless times in my life. It just serves as an extra motivation to be better prepared,” Doncic remarked in a TNT interview prior to the Thursday matchup between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. “I’m quite accustomed to being questioned.”
“It’s all part of the business,” he continued. “I’m just thrilled to be here. Playing basketball is all that matters to me.”
“I’m used to it.”
Luka Doncic shared his thoughts on those doubting his fitness and competitiveness.
Since suffering a left calf strain during the Mavericks’ Christmas Day appearance in the 2024-25 regular season, Doncic is anticipated to potentially be cleared to play soon, with his new team hosting the Indiana Pacers for the upcoming NBA Saturday. In a pregame media session on Thursday, head coach JJ Redick indicated that the target return date has shifted to Monday, coinciding with a three-game home stretch featuring the Utah Jazz at crypto.com Arena.
“Monday seems more likely,” Redick stated. “There’s no firm commitment yet, but we’re leaning toward Monday.”
“Everything is going well. All positive,” he noted about the Slovenian star practicing with his teammates. “We’re all hoping to get the news in the coming days that he will be playing. Everyone is eager to see him in a Lakers jersey.”
