Luka Doncic Believes Soccer Helped Him With Footwork In Basketball

As Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic gets acquainted with his new city, general manager Rob Pelinka and governor Jeanie Buss are trying to make this process seamless.

Doncic’s departure from the Dallas Mavericks was untimely and unwarranted, so L.A. needs to fill that void and make him feel wanted. But now that time has passed, Doncic is beginning to get into shape for next season with hopes of bringing a championship to the Lakers.

After missing extended time last year with a calf injury, the Slovenian star was not in shape and had to play his way into it after returning. Luckily, he is so gifted as a player that he can still dominate on the floor.

A reason for his dominance is his footwork. Doncic can maneuver well and get to his spots with ease, which he credits to playing soccer growing up, via the Lakers’ official YouTube:

“When we were kids, we would play a lot of different sports. Football (soccer) was definitely the second sport I played the most. Striker, of course. I think playing football helped me with my footwork. You know, you can take some steps out of those sports.”

In a world where young players coming into the league possess more and more athleticism, Doncic is more technically sound. Despite not being fast, the 26-year-old can still blow by his defender with his strength and use his mind to draw fouls.

With the Lakers moving into life after LeBron James sooner rather than later, Doncic being their hub is not a bad next step. Frankly, he can do anything he wants offensively and opposing teams have a tough time trying to find answers.

Through seven years in the NBA, there is time to continue improving as a franchise leader and it starts by getting in shape. If he hits the ground running next year, it should make things abundantly easier for him and warrant a potential MVP season.

Luka Doncic wants to be known for bringing championships to Lakers

After trading for Luka Doncic, there was a bit of a risk involved as he is not yet signed to a long-term contract. The Lakers used that to their advantage by getting Doncic for the price that they did in their trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

With a contract extension date looming on Aug 2, it looks like L.A. is expected to come to terms on a deal for Doncic. He recently Doncic revealed that he wants to be known for bringing championships to the Lakers, another sign of his loyalty to the organization and city.