Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has opened up about the disappointment of missing last season’s playoffs because of a hamstring injury, admitting that the experience has provided additional motivation ahead of the new campaign.
Doncic suffered a strained left hamstring during a regular-season game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.
The injury forced him to miss the entire postseason, during which the Lakers were eliminated by Oklahoma City in the second round.
Before Doncic’s injury, Los Angeles had won 16 of its previous 18 games, giving the Slovenian star confidence that the team could compete for a championship.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Doncic acknowledged that he regretted continuing to play after initially feeling discomfort in his hamstring.
“Obviously, I thought we had a team that could compete for a championship, so it was kind of disappointed, kind of let the team down,” Doncic said. “So it’s definitely motivating for this season.”
The Lakers have since made major changes to their roster, adding nine players during the offseason in an effort to improve their championship chances.
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With LeBron James departing for the Philadelphia 76ers, Doncic has become the central figure in Los Angeles.
The 27-year-old is now preparing to lead the Lakers into the 2026-27 season, hoping to avoid another injury-related setback and help the franchise compete for its first championship since 2020.
