Lakers coach JJ Redick had a meeting with Luka Doncic on Wednesday, something he plans to do with each player.
asserted
he → have → player
What did they talk about?
Leadership.
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they → talk → Leadership
“It’s something he’s really excited about,” Redick said at Lakers practice Thursday.
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Redick → ’ → practice
The Lakers belong to Doncic after LeBron James left for the 76ers in free agency after eight seasons in Los Angeles, including leading the Purple-and-Gold to their first championship in 10 years in 2020.
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James → belong → 2020
It has now been six long years since the Lakers sat atop the league.
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Lakers → sit → league
For a 17-time championship franchise, that’s an agonizingly long stretch.
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that → ’ → franchise
Doncic is next in line to carry them back to that lofty position.
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Doncic → carry → position
And to do so, he’s going to have to get a bit uncomfortable.
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he → do → ?
See, Doncic leads by example.
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Doncic → see → example
He’s never going to be the loudest guy in the locker room.
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He → go → room
That’s just not him.
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That → ’ → ?
But the Lakers need more out of him.
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Lakers → need → him
He needs to be aware of how he carries himself.
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he → need → himself
he reacts to things.
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he → react → things
How he responds in tough moments.
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he → respond → moments
“I think as a leader you can always grow,” Redick said.
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Redick → think → leader
“That’s part of most good leaders that I know at least — they have that growth mentality.
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they → ’ → mentality
I think Luka has a growth mentality as a player.
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Luka → think → player
And I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that it won’t extend that to leadership.
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it → think → leadership
“He recognizes that the vocal side of things is one thing, the body language — both positive and negative— is another thing.
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language → recognize → things
That’s a focus is just having great body language.
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That → ’ → language
This group of guys is going to follow him and AR [Austin Reaves].
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group → go → him
That’s just the reality.
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That → ’ → ?
They’re going to follow those two guys, and that’s a huge responsibility for both of those guys.”
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that → go → guys
He became the youngest player in EuroLeague history to win the MVP award at age 19 while playing for Real Madrid en route to carrying it to the championship.
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He → become → championship
He led the Mavericks to the Finals in 2024.
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He → lead → 2024
They’re one of the biggest teams in the world.
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They → ’re → world
The spotlight is blinding.
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spotlight → blind → ?
He says he’s ready for it.
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he → say → it
When asked now that James is gone, how it feels to be the Lakers’ torchbearer, he didn’t hesitate.
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he → ask → ?
“I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me,” Doncic said.
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Doncic → ’ → me
“But I feel great.
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I → feel → ?
I feel excited.
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I → feel → ?
And like I said, I’m ready to go.”
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I → say → ?
Doncic wants to win his first championship.
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Doncic → want → championship
He wants to make the Mavericks deeply regret stunningly trading him to the Lakers in February 2025.
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Mavericks → want → February
He wants to prove that he’s the best player in the league.
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he → want → league
He had his fingerprints all over the roster this offseason.
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He → have → roster
Doncic wanted to keep playing with Reaves.
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Doncic → want → Reaves
The Lakers signed him to a four-year, $180 million deal, the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted.
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who → sign → player
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
