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Guard Luka Doncic has been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for all of eight days, but he's ready to make an impact on the community. As the city recovers from devastating wildfires that killed 29 people and damaged nearly 20,000 structures, Doncic is making a half-million-dollar donation to the relief effort.
The five-time All-Star announced the news on Monday via his foundation's X account.
“It’s been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires since I landed in LA. 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,” he wrote in a message titled “A Note from Luka.”
“Today, my foundation is donating $500,000 to immediate recovery efforts,” he continued. “I am also committed to helping rebuild courts, playgrounds and field that were destroyed, because every kid needs a safe place to play.”
He concluded the note by telling LA residents that his foundation is there for them, signing it, “your new neighbor, Luka.”
“To everyone affected by these fires: we’re here to help, now and for the long haul,” he wrote.
One projection from AccuWeather estimates the fires have been responsible for an economic loss of between $250 billion and $275 billion.
Luka Doncic and the Lakers push forward amid wildfires
The Lakers have already teamed up with other college and pro teams in the Los Angeles area as part of an $8 million donation to fight the wildfires, which even claimed head coach JJ Redick's home.
“We are committed as ever to Los Angeles,” Redick said in a release last month. “We recognize it's not just our community that has been impacted by this. We're committed to helping people as much as we can and we're going to do that.”
Redick additionally pledged to donate to relief efforts independently.
The team's other superstar, LeBron James, spoke last month about the opportunity the Lakers have to provide local fans some comfort during an especially difficult time.
“Sports have always given people the opportunity to, like, temporarily forget about whatever they may be going through,” he told reporters. “With us being such a big part of the LA community, hopefully we provide that for a lot of fans.”
The Lakers also hosted a donation drive at several home games in January where they collected food and supplies from attending fans.