Luka Dončić Snubs Ex-Lakers Co-Star LeBron James While Picking ’Ultimate 2-on-2’ Teammate
· Yahoo Sports
As the Los Angeles Lakers look to rebuild a championship-contending roster around their superstar Luka Dončić, the Slovenian snubbed LeBron James as the ultimate 2-on-2 teammate in a recent quickfire interview.
Instead of picking the four-time champion, Dončić named the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić as his ideal teammate.
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Luka Dončić Picks Nikola Jokić Over LeBron James in Ultimate 2-on-2 Pick
In a rapid-fire interview shared Monday by Instagram user Klemen Kopina, Dončić was asked to pick the ultimate teammate for a hypothetical 2-on-2 game.
Time after time, Jokić came out on top.
Dončić first selected Jokić over the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before choosing the Serbian star again over the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and the Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant.
Jokić also beat out all-time greats such as Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson.
Dončić’s pick was not a big surprise, considering his well-documented camaraderie with Jokić. The two were spotted bantering with each other at the All-Star Weekend in February this year, with the Nuggets superstar evenjoking that Dončić is a serious gambler.
Some may have expected Dončić’s answers to change once James entered the matchup, but the Slovenian picked Jokić over the four-time champion.
However, Dončić ultimately chose NBA great Michael Jordan over everyone else as his ideal teammate.
Dončić and James enjoyed a strong relationship during their time together in Los Angeles, but their partnership fell short of expectations in the playoffs.
After Dončić’s injury, a depleted Los Angeles squad carried by the 41-year-old James could only make it to the second round before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nonetheless, both stars continue to express support for each other. After James decided to depart from the Lakers after eight seasons, Dončić had a heartfelt message for the ex-Lakers legend.
“An honor to play with and learn from you,” Dončić wrote on his Instagram story, alongside a photo of them together.
Meanwhile, as James prepares to step into his 24th season in the league, he has been linked to several teams in free agency, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Recently, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports also floated the exciting possibility of James joining Jokić in Denver, highlighting their “collective genius” as a major boost to the Nuggets’ roster.
While James remains tight-lipped about his future destination and weighs his options, Jokić reaffirmed his desire to stay in Denver amid speculation about his contract decision.