Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-28 · by Greg Beacham The Associated Press
Luka Doncic discusses taking on leadership responsibilities with the Los Angeles Lakers following LeBron James' departure. Speaking at media day ahead of training camp, Doncic expresses readiness for his new role despite not playing since April due to injury recovery. The team has undergone significant changes, adding nine new players including center Walker Kessler whom Doncic sees as a crucial fit for the offense and defense.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-29,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Yet Doncic is still eager to take on the biggest responsibility of his basketball career to date in the wake of LeBron James’ decision to leave LA.
asserted
Doncic → take → LA
“It’s like a new challenge.
asserted
It → ’ → challenge
I like challenges,” Doncic said Monday when the Lakers reported to training camp for media day.
asserted
Lakers → like → day
“I wouldn’t say I feel different, but I would say I feel honored.”
asserted
I → say → ?
Doncic is fully recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him off the court while James led the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs.
asserted
James → recover → playoffs
Doncic hasn’t played in an NBA game since April 2, and he took his recovery slowly during the summer to make sure he would have no restrictions when camp opened — because he knew the new-look Lakers have plenty of work to do in a short window.
asserted
Lakers → play → window
“It feels great,” Doncic said.
asserted
Doncic → feel → ?
“Obviously it’s a new challenge.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me.
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it → ’ → me
But I feel great.
asserted
I → feel → ?
I feel excited.
asserted
I → feel → ?
I’m ready to go.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
It’s been a long time since I played basketball, so I’m ready.
asserted
I → play → basketball
Doncic understands and embraces the international importance of being the face of the Lakers’ global brand, but he also knows this particular team must quickly forge an identity after the departure of the top scorer in NBA history, along with several rotation players.
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team → understand → players
Headlined by center Walker Kessler, the Lakers have nine new faces among the 16 players on NBA contracts in yet another year of massive turnover on their roster.
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Lakers → headline → roster
General manager Rob Pelinka wants that turnover to slow over the next few years, so he signed several complementary players in the age group of Doncic and high-scoring guard Austin Reaves in the hope they’ll all grow together for the long term.
asserted
they → want → term
Along with Kessler, Los Angeles added Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Jaden Hardy.
asserted
Angeles → add → Sexton
“I like everybody that we signed,” Doncic said.
asserted
Doncic → like → that
“I think there’s a lot of underrated guys.
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I → think → guys
Got to spend some time with all of us off court, and now the training camp is going to help us a lot.
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camp → get → us
Focus on basketball, get to know what we like on the court.
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we → focus → court
I’m very excited to play with all of them.
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I → ’m → them
The biggest key is Kessler, whose rim protection and lob finishing appears to be exactly what Doncic has always wanted in a big man.
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Doncic → appear → man
Doncic acknowledges he was advocating strongly for Kessler’s acquisition.
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he → acknowledge → acquisition
“I’ve played a lot of games against Walk,” former Mavericks guard Doncic said of former Jazz center Kessler.
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Doncic → play → Kessler
“It was always tough to play against him.
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It → play → him
So I really wanted him.
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I → want → him
I think the organization wanted him.
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organization → think → him
I wanted him.
asserted
I → want → him
All of the players wanted him.
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All → want → him
I think it’s an amazing fit for us.
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it → think → us
(He’s) obviously a rim protector, but then the offense, he improved so much.
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he → ’ → ?
He’s going to help us a lot.”
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He → go → us
Doncic and James didn’t find a winning groove in their first half-season together, and Doncic had to begin last season without James, who was sidelined by sciatica for the first 14 games.
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who → find → games
Doncic confidently seized the Lakers’ reins with an early-season scoring barrage that never let up even when James got healthy, allowing him to win his second NBA scoring title in three seasons at 33.5 points per game.
asserted
him → seize → game
But Doncic only played in 64 games last season, and his close friend Reaves only appeared in 51.
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friend → play → 51
If the Lakers are going to grow into a contender, both guards know they need to be on the court regularly — and they must be connected with their teammates.
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they → go → teammates
Doncic took his first major step as the Lakers’ primary leader during the summer when he organized a team trip to his native Slovenia.
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he → take → Slovenia
Every veteran made the journey, and Doncic took them golfing, bowling and rowing when they weren’t hooping, going out to dinner or just goofing around.
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they → make → dinner
“We were moving like the president out there,” Jake LaRavia said of the excited crowds who followed the Lakers in Ljubljana and the surrounding environs.
asserted
who → move → Ljubljana
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
