Luka Doncic is now under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers through at least 2028, but he apparently may not intend to retire with them.
The Lakers superstar Doncic spoke this week to the Wall Street Journal for a wide-ranging interview. During the interview, Doncic reflected on his basketball journey and also touched on how he would like it to end. Doncic said that he would be open to retiring with Real Madrid in Spain, his first professional club.
“For sure,” said Doncic of the possibility of finishing his career back with Real Madrid. “They raised me. “[But] to play with Real Madrid, you have to be so good,” Doncic added.
You can read Doncic’s full interview at the link here.
The five-time NBA All-Star Doncic did indeed get his start as a professional player with Real Madrid. He signed with them back in 2012 at just 13 years old, developing his talents through their youth system before eventually making his professional debut for Real Madrid in 2015 (at age 16).
Doncic played for Real Madrid through 2018, winning both EuroLeague MVP and Liga ACB MVP with them. He also won three domestic league titles and a EuroLeague title (among several other trophies) and developed his now-famed killer instinct with Real Madrid by playing in so many massive playoff games for them at such a young age.
Now 26 years old, Doncic is not anywhere remotely close to retirement at this point, especially given his recent transformation into peak physical condition. But when it is all said and done, the former NBA scoring champion would be very open to a storybook ending back at his boyhood club.
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