Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Excited For ‘Full Season’ With Luka Dončić

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is excited for a “full season” with Luka Dončić.

Dončić and James played 23 games together last season. The Lakers went 15–8 in those games.

“Full season with Luka,” James said at Lakers media day on Monday. “For real. Like I get a full season with Luka. Seeing what Luka was doing in EuroBasket this summer. Everyone’s talking about his body and how well in shape he is and all that. Another season under the belt with the coaching staff. We had one year, first year, JJ and his coaching staff. So we get another full year of that. … We get to start right from day one. It was obviously a difficult transition bringing in Luka, kind of like the halfway point or whatever and trying to figure that out and we all figuring out each other.

“The best thing about this year is that we’re starting right now. Training camp, day one, know the system, know what we wanna do.”

Dončić averaged 27.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.4 blocks alongside James, who averaged 23.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks next to Dončić in 2024-25.

James, 40, picked up his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers. He will make $52.6 million this season in the final year of his contract. The leading scorer in NBA history will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018.

Dončić wants James to retire from the NBA with the Lakers, a source told DallasHoopsJournal. Dončić has frequently said James was the player he watched most growing up. The former Dallas Mavericks star enjoyed playing alongside James last season and believes the Lakers can contend for the championship in 2025-26.

Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia signed with the Lakers this offseason.