Marcus Smart has built his NBA career on defense, grit, and leadership, but even he was caught off guard when Luka Doncic personally recruited him to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. Speaking during Lakers media day, the former Defensive Player of the Year revealed just how surprising the call was.
“I’m excited. When my agent told me Luka called him and was very interested, I didn’t believe him at first. I’m not gonna lie. I’m like, ‘You’re joking. I’m a jokester, so you probably get me back for something.’ And he’s like, ‘No, I’m serious. We really need to sit down and we need to talk. This is going to happen. This is real.’”
“And I’m like, ‘Oh wow.’ But having Luka have that ability to say ‘I want this guy here,’ being able to play against him for as long as I did, I’m finally glad to be on his side.”
For Marcus Smart, Luka’s recruitment carried weight. After nine years with the Boston Celtics, followed by brief stops in Memphis and Washington, the 30-year-old guard found himself looking for a fresh start. Doncic made it clear he saw Smart as a crucial piece of the Lakers’ new identity, a defensive anchor and locker room leader for a roster built around Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and newly acquired center Deandre Ayton.
“That’s what I came to do, that’s why Luka called me, that’s what JJ wants.”
The Lakers are expected to open the 2025-26 season with Rui Hachimura in the starting lineup over Smart, but the veteran is embracing his role regardless of where he slots in. With a history of injuries including Achilles tendinopathy that will limit him early in camp, the Lakers want to preserve him for the postseason grind. That doesn’t bother Smart.
Marcus Smart averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 rebounds last season while splitting time between Memphis and Washington. His offensive numbers may not pop, but his defensive pedigree remains elite. A three-time All-Defensive First Team selection and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Smart brings toughness and accountability to a Lakers roster that desperately needed both after last year’s disappointing first-round exit.
Smart’s arrival also underscores Doncic’s growing influence within the Lakers. The 26-year-old superstar was instrumental in helping Los Angeles land both Ayton and Smart this summer, using his recruiting pull to fill needs he believed were essential. For Smart, being directly wanted by Doncic matters.
As Marcus Smart eases into his Lakers career, the expectations are clear: defend at the highest level, bring energy to the locker room, and set the tone in moments where the Lakers need toughness most. He may not start, but if his bond with Luka grows, Smart could be the X-factor Los Angeles has been searching for.
