Lakers star Luka Doncic had to spend the entire 2026 NBA playoffs on the sidelines, but head coach JJ Redick still remembers the growth he saw in him this season.
In just his second campaign in Los Angeles, the Slovenian point guard was able to take the Lakers to the third seed in the West (53-29) with averages of 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on on 47.6% shooting and 36.6% shooting from three. While some doubted his conditioning and leadership habits, Redick says that it was never a problem during the season.
“I think a lot has been made about Luka’s fitness level and his dedication to that,” Redick said, via Benjamin Royer. “He was great throughout the season. He’s still in fantastic shape six weeks after an injury. But he’s also grown as a leader. I think that was one of the challenges coming into the season that we presented him with. He grew in that regard.”
Doncic was more passive in his first season in Los Angeles, and some believe that held the Lakers back (they lost in the first round). This year, thanks to the chemistry he developed with his teammates, he found his voice and lived up to his responsibilities as a leader. If not for injuries, it might have paid off with a deep playoff run, but we’ll never know for sure how far he could have gone.
“He was very committed this year to developing those relationships, both on and off the court,” Redick added. “He was phenomenal this year as a teammate and a leader, and obviously, as a player, the guy had a tier-one season relative to the rest of the league.”
Despite an underwhelming showing in the Semifinals (lost in four games to the Thunder), the Lakers remain committed to Luka and recreating what he had in Dallas, when he led an underdog Mavericks team to the NBA Finals. The process will not be quick or easy, but the Lakers have several players coming off the books, including LeBron James, who will increase their overall roster flexibility.
Regardless of who the team acquires, their future success is directly tied to Doncic. Besides his health and impact on the court, how he leads in that locker room will make or break this era of Lakers basketball. That’s why it’s imperative that Doncic break his old conditioning habits and hold himself to a higher standard.
Fortunately, Luka has already come a long way, and that progress began before the season began. Last summer, as he led the Slovenian National team at EuroBasket, he set the ultimate example and showed improved communication and decision-making that helped him earn All-Star Five honors. Nearly a year later, Doncic has brought those same qualities to the Lakers’ locker room, transforming them into a West contender.
In review of the season, Redick can admit that things did not go according to plan. Even so, plenty of good came out of it; not the least of which was Luka’s development as a leader. If he can become as effective in the role as his teammate LeBron James was, it could position the Lakers for decades of prosperity.
