Lakers champ suggests Luka Doncic’s lights were way too bright for Dallas

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is a legendary talent, but he didn’t spend the first six-plus seasons of his NBA career playing for a legendary franchise. Doncic started out his stint in the NBA playing for the Dallas Mavericks, and the Mavericks have won just one championship in franchise history compared to the Lakers’ 17.

Former Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, who played with fellow guard Kobe Bryant and won back-to-back championships with Los Angeles in 2009 and 2010, seems to think that Doncic’s lights were too bright for Dallas.

“Not to diss Dallas: I think Luka’s lights and capability was way too big for Dallas spotlight,” Vujacic said. “I think Luka is a perfect guy that we need in L.A. to carry us to that next championship.”

Doncic helped reinvigorate the Mavericks franchise following big man Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement and even got the team three wins away from winning a championship in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but it’s reasonable to assume that there would have been a ceiling on the Slovenian’s popularity and legendary status had he spent his entire career in Dallas.

But now that Doncic is a member of the storied Lakers organization, he has a chance to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest players who have ever stepped foot on an NBA court. If he can lead the Lakers to a championship over the course of his stint with the team, he will join a long list of legends who have won rings with the Purple and Gold.

Doncic will look to win the Lakers their 18th championship in team history as soon as next year. It appears as if Los Angeles may have the combination of star power, depth and coaching needed to contend in the Western Conference in the coming season, as the team added guard Marcus Smart and big man Deandre Ayton to a Lakers squad that was a top-three seed last season.

While the Mavericks are a competent franchise and don’t deserve too much shade, it feels fitting that Doncic now plays for one of the marquee franchises in all of sports with the unique talent he is. Here’s to hoping that his stint in Los Angeles will be both long and incredibly successful.