Lakers Fans Are Going to Love Old Klay Thompson Quote on Luka Doncic

The four-time NBA champion knew the newest Laker was going to be speical after this moment.
Nov 6, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA;  Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) warms up in front of Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) before the game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Nov 6, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) warms up in front of Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) before the game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Lakers are built on superstar talent, and they just acquired one of the top players in the league, international superstar Luka Dončić.

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Dončić is now a Laker after spending his first six-plus seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and leading them to the 2024 NBA Finals. 

This is a massive move between two of the better teams in the Western Conference. The loss of Anthony Davis will be significant; however, adding a player like Dončić, who is younger and better at this time, is a huge add for L.A. now but specifically in the future. 

Dončić is a great addition, and those who are big fans of him will be even bigger fans after hearing what his former teammate and four-time champion, Klay Thompson, had to say about Dončić and Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant. 

Thompson told Dončić that he knew he'd be great because it was Bryant who made the effort to watch Doncic play in Los Angeles early in his career.

“Kobe was one of the most intelligent athletes to ever grace this earth…," said Thompson. "My memories of Kobe are very fond…That’s the first thing I told Luka when we met. I was like man I knew you were gonna be special because he brought Kobe out of the house to go watch him play. Kobe doesn’t just give that love to those who don’t earn it…I think about him and Gigi every day…”

Thompson grew up a Lakers fan and idolized Bryant as he grew up in Southern California. 

As for the Dončić side of things, he and Byrant have had their own run-ins. 

The 25-year-old star and Bryant had a run-in a few months before his passing while he attended the Lakers and Mavericks game Thompson was discussing. 

Dončić admitted that he was surprised to hear someone talk in Slovenian and that person being Kobe. 

"He was talking Slovenian, so I was like, he's talking in my language, and I saw Kobe and I was like, really surprised," Doncic said speaking of Bryant in 2019.

The Lakers now have a franchise game-changer on their roster, someone who Bryant would have loved to see in the purple and gold. 

Bryant is arguably one of the greatest players of all time and, indeed, the greatest to don a Lakers jersey. 

Dončić will now join that long, extensive history in Lakers lore. 

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For the latest Los Angeles Lakers news and notes, stay glued to Lakers On SI.


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Ricardo Sandoval
RICARDO SANDOVAL

Staff Writer