In a compelling preview of Mind The Game Podcast Season 2 with Steve Nash, LeBron James opened up about why playing alongside Luka Doncic has been such a rewarding experience for him in his 22nd NBA season.
The highly anticipated second season premieres April 1st at 9 AM EST, and this sneak peek already features some of LeBron’s most thoughtful reflections on leadership, basketball IQ, and what makes Doncic a truly generational teammate.
Steve Nash: “But I’d like to know from you, like, what excited you about getting to play with Luka?”
LeBron James: “Because he plays the game how I’ve always wanted to inspire the generation to play the game. And there’s nothing predetermined. If you have two guys on you, there’s a numbers game.”
“If you have the advantage, and if there’s a guy that, you know, that can’t guard you, or you’re able to beat him, and then the guy traps the box, or another guy sinks, I’m able to make the passes and make the reads before they happen.”
“I’ve always loved the players that breathe so much confidence into his teammates that make them believe that they’re actually better than what the f**k they really are. You did that. Luka has done that for seven years. Chris Paul did that when he was down there in New Orleans and doing that for that team down in New Orleans.”
“I’ve been able to do that with a few of my teams. I mean, I don’t go to the NBA Finals in 2006 with that team if I’m not able to make them believe that they’re greater than what they are, you know, and just give them that confidence.”
Steve Nash: “It’s a great point, because I think people understand you make your teammates better, but making them believe is a whole other thing.”
“Because you can spray the ball around the gym and make people better, but to give them that belief that like, no, what I do is important and valued and you’re going to help our team win—like that’s different.”
LeBron James: “It makes them—ultimately they will do anything for you, run through a wall for you. You know, I mean, we saw that, unfortunately, one of your teammates gets suspended in the postseason when you get chucked to the scorer’s table.”
“But that’s because you’ve given them so much confidence and so much belief. You f**king touch Steve, I feel like you’re going after me. Y’all built that bond, you know what I’m saying? So like, Luka has that.”
“And I mean, he learned that from growing up in Slovenia to heading over to Madrid and learning the game the right way and playing at a professional level at what, 13, 14 years old. And he brought that same model and that same game to the NBA from day one.”
For LeBron, who has long viewed the game as a cerebral and connective art form, Doncic represents the next evolution of that style—an unselfish, genius-level floor general who reads the court like a chess master.
For LeBron, that intangible quality is what forges lasting bonds between teammates—the kind that turn locker rooms into brotherhoods.
Now thriving together in Los Angeles, LeBron and Luka have created a special kind of partnership—one that mixes age and wisdom with flair and youth. LeBron, the closer, and Luka, the controller.
The veteran superstar often lets Doncic orchestrate the early stages of the game, only to take the reins in crunch time when it’s time to shut the door. It’s a beautiful, balanced dynamic, and the Lakers have surged because of it.
At 45-29, the Lakers are currently fourth in the Western Conference with a chance to rise even higher. With Luka averaging near triple-double numbers and LeBron still playing at an All-NBA level, this duo has become one of the most formidable in the league—and one of the most fun to watch.
For LeBron, this isn’t just about chasing another title. It’s about passing the torch the right way—and in Luka Doncic, he’s found a worthy carrier.
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