LeBron James made it clear that he’s not going to pressure Luka Doncic into making a long-term commitment to the Los Angeles Lakers, saying the decision ultimately rests with the young star himself.
While expressing admiration and support for Doncic, LeBron emphasized that it’s not his role to influence another player’s career path, especially someone nearly 15 years younger.
“No, that ain’t my job,” LeBron said when asked if he planned to encourage Luka to stay.
“I think … I don’t think, I know, Luka knows how I feel about him. And ultimately, that trade happened for the future. That’s not for me. Luka has to decide what he has to do with his future. He’s [26] years old, I’m 40, so he can’t be basing his career off me. That’s just real.”
Despite stepping back from trying to influence Doncic’s decision, LeBron was honest about how much the Lakers organization and fans have embraced him.
“But I hope, obviously, [he stays long term]. Laker fans f—ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he’s got to make a decision for him. S—,”
LeBron James says he’s not going to try to convince Luka Dončić to stay with the Lakers
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 2, 2025
"No, that ain't my job. I think … I don't think, I know, Luka knows how I feel about him. And ultimately, that trade happened for the future. That's not for me. Luka has to decide what he… pic.twitter.com/Bc8d3NtP4r
