Luka Dončić makes highly anticipated debut with Lakers in win over Utah Jazz
Luka Dončić made his highly anticipated debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday evening, more than a week after a league-shaking trade that saw star Anthony Davis head to the Dallas Mavericks.
He was initially expected to suit up on Saturday , but head coach JJ Redick announced late last week that his first game would likely come Monday against the Utah Jazz as he continued to recover from a calf injury he suffered on Christmas Day.
Dončić got straight to work, quickly adapting to playing with Lakers star LeBron James as the Lakers stormed to a 25-point lead heading into the half. He scored 11 points over the first two quarters, including his first basket at a Laker which came in the form of a three-pointer just over two minutes into the contest.
He played just 24 minutes, including sitting the entire fourth quarter, as he still assimilates himself to the roster. Overall, he had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists on the night as the Lakers cruised to their sixth straight victory , 132-113, on the back of 20+ point games from LeBron, Rui Hacimura and Austin Reaves.
"Feel like it's best right now to ease Luka back in to playing NBA action," said Redick following the game. "I think if it was up to Luka, he would probably play 48 minutes, but we're thinking long-term and we want to be safe."
It was his first game in nearly two full months following the calf injur.
Dončić, just 25, is already considered one of the the NBA's premier scorers after just six full seasons. In that time, he's a five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection and last season's scoring champion.
His introduction brought a loud roar from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena. On several occasions through the game, he was met with chants of "Luka! Luka!" from the Laker faithful.
The shocking acquisition came after what Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka called weeks of secret discussion with the Mavericks. The trade was officially made on Feb. 2, and ironically involved the Utah Jazz, who received Jalen Hood-Schifino and a second-round draft pick in 2025.
Related: LeBron is stunned by Lakers' trade of Anthony Davis, but he calls Luka Doncic "my favorite player"
In 22 games this season prior to Monday, Dončić was averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game. Those numbers sit just off his career averages which have him ranked as the third-best scorer all time when it comes to points per game, behind just Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, according to Basketball Reference.
Since joining the Lakers Dončić had missed three games while sidelined with the calf injury. He was on the sideline, however, for each game, all of which have been victories as they maintain their hold on fifth place in the Western Conference.
To celebrate the occasion, the Lakers gave away Dončić shirt-jerseys to everyone in attendance. They could be seen draped over each seat at Crypto.com Arena ahead of game time, sporting his No. 77. During warmups, LeBron James was spotted wearing one of the shirts.
Though he had yet to take the court before the Utah game, Dončić had practiced with the team throughout the last week. He also made moves to integrate himself with the Laker faithful by donating a massive lump sum to the ongoing wildfire recovery relief efforts still ongoing in Los Angeles County.
It's been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires as I landed in LA," he wrote on social media pages for the Luka Doncic Foundation. "I can't believe it, and I feel for all the kids who lost their homes, schools and the places where they used to play with their friends. Today, my foundation is donating $500,000 to immediate recovery efforts. I am also committed to helping rebuild courts, playgrounds and fields that were destroyed, because every kid needs a safe place to play."
