The Los Angeles Lakers’ practices have been lively lately, and fans got a glimpse of that competitive spirit when Luka Doncic and Jarred Vanderbilt took their friendly rivalry to social media. What started as a fun moment in practice quickly turned into a viral back-and-forth between the two teammates on Instagram, showing just how strong the team’s chemistry has become early in the season.
The Lakers’ social media team posted a photo from practice featuring Luka Doncic taking a tough, fading jumper over Jarred Vanderbilt, who was contesting tightly. The photo perfectly captured the intensity of their matchup, Doncic in full control with his signature lean-back release, and Vanderbilt locked in, hand extended and eyes on the ball.
It wasn’t clear from the photo whether Luka made the shot, but that didn’t stop the friendly trolling that followed. Vanderbilt was the first to jump into the fun, reposting the image on his Instagram story with the caption, “Good stop Luka Doncic,” hinting that he might have forced a miss on the All-Star guard.
Moments later, Doncic clapped back. He shared Vanderbilt’s post on his own story and replied with just one word: “Layup.”
The simple response paired with a laughing emoji sent Lakers fans into a frenzy, interpreting it as Luka’s way of saying, ‘nice try, but that went in.’
The exchange immediately blew up among Lakers supporters, who loved seeing the lighthearted banter between two of the team’s most competitive players.
And they’re right, this kind of camaraderie is exactly what Los Angeles has been hoping for since Luka’s arrival. The star guard, who’s coming off a dominant EuroBasket run, has made it a point to build strong relationships within the locker room.
His recent gestures, from gifting every teammate a pair of his new Luka 4 signature sneakers to organizing a team-wide Porsche Driving Experience, have already turned him into one of the team’s most respected leaders.
Behind the jokes, though, there’s a real layer of competitiveness. Vanderbilt takes pride in being one of the Lakers’ top defenders, and going up against a scorer of Luka’s caliber every day in practice only sharpens his edge. For Luka, testing his game against an elite, switchable defender like Vanderbilt helps fine-tune his offensive rhythm before the season begins.
As lighthearted as the exchange was, it reflects the Lakers’ new identity: a mix of intensity, humor, and trust. Luka Doncic has brought leadership by connection, and Jarred Vanderbilt’s willingness to match his confidence only adds to the locker room’s balance.
So whether Luka actually made that shot or not, one thing is clear: the Lakers’ chemistry is already clicking, and it’s only the preseason.
