Apr 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) leave a court after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 in game two of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

LeBron James’ Influence on Luka Doncic Goes Beyond Basketball

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 1:13 PM ET

Luka Doncic has a long way to go before he calls it a career.

Being just 26, the NBA superstar is expected to stick around for a while. The Los Angeles Lakers already locked him in for several more seasons with a major extension over the summer.

But it’s never too early to start thinking about what comes after hoops. The Slovenian superstar doesn’t have to look too far for a role model. In a recent piece put together by the Wall Street Journal, it was suggested that Doncic is paying close attention to LeBron James’ approach to basketball and beyond.

While the “rigorous conditioning” factor will stand out to basketball fans, Doncic is also keeping his eyes on LeBron’s “business acumen." According to the piece, Doncic is interested in sports ownership. While basketball is clearly Doncic’s top sport, he won’t have a limited mindset when it comes to that.

Joining the Sports Ownership Trend

Several former NBA players are involved with ownership groups within the league. One has to assume that LeBron James will be the next, as he’s been reportedly pining for a Las Vegas expansion club for years now.

The NBA has had an open dialogue about adding a team or two in the future, but that idea still seems to be far away as of now.

For the time being, LeBron is involved with several sports organizations outside of basketball. With a stake in Fenway Sports Group, James has a hand in the MLB, Premier League, NHL, and NASCAR.

Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo are two more notable stars with ownership beyond the NBA. Antetokounmpo reportedly invested in MLS and MLB teams.

Durant has a hand in multiple soccer teams in and outside of the United States. He is also a co-owner of Major League Pickleball, a league of a sport that’s been on the rise for the past few years.

It seems Doncic will soon get in on the sports ownership trend. If he follows the footsteps of LeBron, KD, and Giannis, Doncic could have ownership in a club while he’s still active, playing for the Lakers.

The option to wait for after basketball is always there, too. Michael Jordan and Dwyane Wade are two Hall of Famers with a stake in a team. By the time Doncic’s career is wrapped up, the state of the NBA could look a lot different. Not only is there talks about expansion, but there’s been discussion about a potential European league as well.

If another league comes to life, that will surely open up the door for many NBA stars to get involved later on down the line.