On NBA Opening Night, Lakers phenom Luka Doncic squelched any worries about a potential groin injury against the Golden State Warriors. Though the Lakers lost 119-109, there was no stopping Luka.
In total, Doncic came away with 43 points as well as 12 rebounds, nine assists, two blocks, and a steal. As a result, he etched his name among some of the greatest players ever in season openers.
For instance, Doncic became the first Laker since Elgin Baylor (1959) and Kobe Bryant (2007) to score 40+ points in a season opener, per the NBA. Additionally, Doncic joined the likes of Shaquille O'Neal as the second Laker to have at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a season opener, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
O'Neal did so in 2000 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Then, Doncic managed to equal Michael Jordan with 40 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a season opener, per Real Sports. Jordan achieved that feat in 1989.
So while the Lakers came up short, Doncic didn't. This year will be Doncic's first full season in Los Angeles.
Over the summer, he signed a $165 million contract extension. Additionally, he is not far off from a dominating performance during the EuroBasket tournament, representing his home country of Slovenia.
Luka Doncic is becoming the Lakers' next big star
As any basketball aficionado knows, the Lakers have produced some of the best of the best. The names that come to mind include George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and LeBron James.
Not to mention others that have donned the purple and gold with sheer excellence. Doncic is very much on his way to joining that class and this season would be his launching pad.
From the time he joined the Lakers after the blockbuster trade involving the Mavericks, he was on a roll. His game complimented that of LeBron James in terms of dynamism and explosiveness. Along the way, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in 28 games in Los Angeles.
Plus, helped get the Lakers to the playoffs. So now is his time to shine and potentially begin a run of sustained excellence in the city of angels.
