Luka Dončić brought the Lakers to Slovenia before training camp, using a five-day minicamp to put a new roster through its first real stretch of shared work. The sessions mixed practices with meals, sightseeing and competition, giving Dončić an early chance to establish himself as the voice of a team built around him.
Asked in a video released Friday what he values more than he did years ago, Dončić paused with a deck of cards in hand, smiled, then gave a direct answer: “Leadership.”
Quick facts
- The Lakers held a five-day minicamp in Dončić’s native Slovenia.
- Dončić has been cleared for full basketball work since mid-June after a hamstring injury in April.
- Austin Reaves returned, while Walker Kessler arrived in a trade that used most of Los Angeles’ remaining future draft assets.
- Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton add shooting, while Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle are expected to bolster wing defense.
- Los Angeles opens training camp next week.
The Lakers are entering a different phase after LeBron James’ exit. There is less high-end star power at the top, but the front office has reshaped the group around Dončić’s preferences: Reaves beside him in the backcourt, Kessler as the interior presence, and a deeper collection of shooting and perimeter defenders.
That puts a premium on cohesion. The club is banking on fit, lineup balance and a connected locker room to compensate for the talent lost with James no longer in the picture. Dončić’s Slovenia gathering was an attempt to start that work before camp formally opens.
One practice moment gave the trip an unexpected toughness test. Dončić caught Sexton with an elbow during an on-court workout, opening cuts on both Sexton’s upper and lower lip. Sexton was bleeding from the mouth but tried to remain in the drill, a response Dončić appreciated.
For Dončić, the camp also marked a personal shift. He said organizing such a trip would not have felt natural to him earlier in his career, but the amount of turnover on the roster made it necessary.
“Having that time together was amazing,” Dončić said. “With so many new players, I wanted to be sure we were creating chemistry. I think that will show once the season begins.”
Dončić enters camp healthy after the April hamstring issue and with a clearer mandate than before: lead the group, not simply carry it. The Slovenia stop gave the Lakers a few days of shared reps and off-court time; training camp will show whether that head start holds once the full season work begins.
