The Luka Era begins: inside the transformation powering the post-LeBron Lakers | Luka Dončić

IIt’s been nine and a half months since the exchange that shook the sports world was broken up via a tweet from Shams Charania. It was such a shock that the majority of his subscribers thought he had been hacked. Fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals, young Slovenian superstar Luka Dončić was traded in the middle of the night to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, and the NBA as we know it was forever changed. The fallout from one of the most shocking trades in sports history continues to evolve: Disgraced Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who led the transaction, was fired by the team last week, in a move that Mavericks fans had been loudly calling for since news broke that their local franchise was being abruptly thrown into the ocean. But on the other side of the coin, there was a mixed blessing and a fresh start: Dončić, who had imagined spending his entire career in Dallas like his mentor Dirk Nowitzki, suddenly found himself once again becoming the face of the NBA’s most famous franchise under the lights of Hollywood. And it turns out the future is now.

While Dončić’s breakup with the Mavericks was both very public and very messy (the Mavs were not shy about expressing their reasoning for the decision and portraying the 26-year-old in an unflattering light), the good sides quickly showed themselves. Dončić may not have considered himself suited to be in the Los Angeles spotlight, but with his flair for drama and sense of sports theater, playing for such a prestigious franchise proved to be a surprisingly good fit. And it couldn’t have gone better for the Lakers: The team was staring at an uncertain future, with the impending retirement of 40-year-old LeBron James and Davis’ injury history creating a cloud of doubt over his ability to be the No. 1 option down the stretch. Enter Luka’s scene right: a ticket to franchise salvation, blessed with the newfound motivation that can only be endured by being dragged publicly and mercilessly through the mud.

Of course, James’ retirement was much less imminent than expected; his longevity and unprecedented level of play continue to break records and defy logic. So, instead of a passing of the torch, the months following Dončić’s arrival felt more like a collaboration of the torch. But James’ sciatica bout this summer, which sidelined him for the first month of the season and caused him to miss the first opening night of his 23-year career, set up a dress rehearsal for the post-LeBron Lakers era. The list remains a bit awkward, but Dončić is starting to build on his new leadership role – and those around him are convinced that he is the man for the job. And not just because his 34.4 points per game easily leads the NBA. The Lakers are 10-4, fourth in the Western Conference behind only Oklahoma City, Denver and Houston, and the prospect of life after LeBron suddenly doesn’t seem so scary after all.

Dončić has always been special, and the NBA’s brightest minds recognized that from the start. When the Miami Heat visited Los Angeles in early November, I asked Erik Spoelstra what he thought made Dončić different. “Just an incredible competitive spirit,” he told me. “I remember the first time I saw him play, I’ll never forget it. I went to see Goran Dragić at EuroBasket, so I stopped by their training camp. Luka was 18 years old and everyone in the gym was amazed at how cerebral his game was. He could make all the rotations, all the reads, just pick you out. His fundamentals, his footwork, his skill level – all elite. But more than anything, even then, he could rise to the level of competition. That’s what all greats do: competition brings out something that most players can’t achieve.

“Calm” was the word Lakers guard Marcus Smart used to describe Dončić’s leadership style early in the season, shortly after the former Defensive Player of the Year recorded his first games with his new team. “He leads by example,” Smart said. But something is starting to change for Dončić, whose approach to leadership throughout his career has been, as Smart suggests, to be brilliant without saying much.

There’s a new maturity and commitment to Dončić’s approach this year, even if he still displays more youthful exuberance than almost anyone in the league. It became evident as early as the summer, when rumors spread that he had undertaken a drastic overhaul of his diet – followed shortly after by a striking men’s health article revealing a visibly slimmer and more sculpted Dončić. The transformation (and the PR surrounding it) was certainly fueled by the Mavericks’ smear campaign following Dončić’s departure, which sought to question everything from his work ethic to his relationship with alcohol.

Off the field, Dončić is gentle and balanced, happiest lying with his wife, his little daughter and his video games. On the field, he’s a demon: one of the fiercest competitors in the league, a player who seems to take real pleasure in tormenting his opponents. For all his gifts, this almost maniacal competitiveness is perhaps his defining trait. And seeing it up close makes something obvious: there was never a version of reality in which being rejected as he was in February led to anything other than this, the moment he transformed into the Terminator.

Dončić acknowledges that his approach has changed. He’s been noticeably louder this season, and when asked if that’s intentional, he doesn’t hesitate. “Certainly [more vocal]I’m just trying to help the guys,” he says. But he attributes the change in part to better chemistry, noting that he still wants leadership to feel shared. “I think leadership shouldn’t just be one player, it should be more players, and I think we have that. Everyone talks a lot. It seems like everyone is on the same page.

Those around him noticed the growth. Lakers head coach JJ Redick says he’s seen a real change from last season: “I think he’s letting his teammates in right now,” he says. Austin Reaves — the Lakers guard who developed an easy, teasing rapport with Dončić in the months since his arrival — sees it too and isn’t surprised it took a while. “It’s human nature when things like last year happen. No one would have ever thought this was going to happen…I’m sure he was in shock,” Reaves said. “Having to move, moving his family, it was hard. But now I think he’s just getting comfortable and having a good time.”

When James returns to make his season debut, which could happen as soon as Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz, the soft opening of the Lakers’ Luka era will come to a temporary end. But the momentum will not stop: the progress made by Dončić with the keys to the franchise in hand is palpable and should continue. He knows the future is his, and he seems more comfortable than ever with that fact.