Many people lament that there is no loyalty in sports. Such critics will point to someone such as LeBron James or Kevin Durant as supposed examples of how modern-day superstars are all about themselves and their own brands and only care about themselves.
Throughout their history, the Los Angeles Lakers have been lucky to have standard-bearers who have shown loyalty to the franchise. George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kobe Bryant played their entire careers with the Lakers, and once he came aboard, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the rest of his career — 16 seasons to be exact — with the Purple and Gold.
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Now, Luka Doncic has the opportunity to do what Abdul-Jabbar did many decades ago — play the majority of his career with the Lakers. Lara Beth Seager, Doncic’s business manager, implied that Doncic wants to be loyal to his current team.
Via The Athletic:
“I think it was always known that, when Luka was traded here, it’s, ‘He’s here now,’” Seager said. “He wants to win where he is, and it’s important that he wins and that we’re working together with the team so we’re not waiting. His mindset has never been to hop around. His mindset is to win championships.
“His mindset is to build where he is and to work together. And as long as he’s signed with a team, it’s a marriage and you treat it like a marriage. And marriages have hard times and good times, but you’re loyal and you’re faithful to each other through it all. And that’s just who Luka is. I don’t think he ever thought. ‘I’m not signing my extension.’”
Doncic agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Lakers on Saturday, the first day he was eligible for an extension. There was a bit of anxiety after he arrived in that seismic February trade that perhaps he wouldn’t agree to an extension and would perhaps look to hit the free agency market next summer. Instead, he will be under contract for at least the next three seasons.
At age 26, he has the opportunity to be the face of the Lakers for the next 10 years, and possibly a little longer than that, especially if he permanently maintains his newfound physical fitness.
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The Lakers have already started to build a roster for and around him. They brought in an excellent rim-running, lob-catching center in Deandre Ayton, and they also signed a promising 3-point shooter in Jake LaRavia and a veteran defensive pest in guard Marcus Smart.
They will likely need another piece or two to get Doncic his first NBA championship, but Doncic said at his press conference on Saturday that they already have enough to compete for basketball’s grand prize.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic’s manager on Doncic’s mindset with the Lakers