NBA superstar guard Luka Doncic will remain in the Southland after he announced Saturday that he’s signed an extension with Los Angeles Lakers.
In a post to X, Doncic announced his signing himself by stating he was committed to bringing championships to L.A.
“I just signed my extension with the Lakers,” he said. “Excited to keep working to bring championships to LA and make Laker Nation proud. Grateful to the Lakers, my teammates and all the fans who’ve shown so much love since day one. This is just the beginning.”
The Lakers co-signed the announcement with a post reading, “The journey begins.”
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“Luka is one of the game’s most transcendent players, and his on-court dominance and passion is without compare,” said Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. “From the moment Luka became a Laker, there was an immediate connection and admiration between Luka and our fanbase. You can feel it in your spirit when you attend a Lakers game. Luka is an absolute killer on the court, and blends that with a unique generosity and care for the community. Above all else, Luka will lead our franchise to pursue future championships, a goal that will forever define the Lakers.”
The terms of the deal are not yet clear. Doncic was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2025-2026 season, but he’ll now remain in the Purple and Gold for the foreseeable future.
The deal clears up speculation that Doncic could leave the team after just one full season, and makes it clear that the Lakers view the Slovenian star as the future of the franchise in a rapidly approaching post-LeBron James era.
Doncic, 26, was once seen as the franchise cornerstone for the Dallas Mavericks, but was sent over to L.A. in a shocking in-season trade in February in exchange for a package that included Anthony Davis. Doncic is regarded as one of the top young players in the league.
In another post, Doncic followed up by stating that he’s committed to donating $5 million to help 77 young athletes across the world “chase their dreams.” The specifics of the donation is not yet clear.
“Basketball gave me everything, and I’m lucky to be able to give back and help the next generation,” he said.
