Luka Doncic has never been one to shy away from emotion on the basketball court. Whether it’s yelling after a tough finish, smiling after a wild shot, or shaking his head in disbelief at himself, the Dallas-turned-Los Angeles Lakers superstar plays with visible passion. But after his latest performance: a 49-point masterpiece in the Lakers’ 128-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, it wasn’t just his scoring that made headlines. It was his celebration.
When asked about it in his postgame press conference, Doncic laughed and gave a very Luka-like answer.
“No, it’s honestly because I don’t know what to do at this moment. I said that before, I just do some stupid things, and I don’t know what to do. And that just came up. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to work on it.”
After burying his fifth three-pointer of the night late in the fourth quarter, Luka Doncic turned toward the Lakers’ bench and broke into a shoulder shimmy, a move instantly familiar to NBA fans as Stephen Curry’s signature celebration.
The clip went viral almost immediately, with fans joking that Doncic was borrowing from the book of Curry. But according to Luka, it wasn’t intentional.
Shimmy Luka 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/TyY1s9aEcN
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) October 25, 2025
The moment came during the final minutes of the game, with Los Angeles firmly in control and Doncic closing in on the 50-point mark. He finished with 49, missing out on the milestone despite JJ Redick giving him four separate chances to reach it, a story that became another humorous subplot of the night.
Courtside Luka shimmy experience 😁
IG/_michaelmorales10 pic.twitter.com/3OdtlEpvmu
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) October 25, 2025
Still, the celebration drew plenty of attention because of its similarity to Curry’s iconic move. Curry first popularized the shimmy during his 2015–16 MVP season, often breaking it out after deep threes that silenced opposing crowds.
The move became so synonymous with him that when Chris Paul did it in Curry’s face during the 2018 Western Conference Finals, it was considered one of the most audacious taunts of that era, though Curry had the last laugh when the Warriors eliminated the Rockets and advanced to the Finals.
Whether it was an accidental homage or just a spontaneous outburst, Doncic’s night spoke for itself. His line of 49 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists came on 61 percent shooting, leading the LeBron James-less Lakers to their first win of the season.
The shimmy might have drawn laughs, but his dominance drew respect.
One thing is clear: whether Luka Doncic’s celebrations are planned or not, when he’s playing like this, nobody’s complaining.
