LeBron James Shared Honest Details About How He Felt When Luka Doncic Trade Happened

Andy Nesbitt | Feb 5, 2025

LeBron James thought at first that the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade was fake. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers stunned the sports world last Saturday night when they sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in return for Luka Doncic. They also caught their star player, LeBron James, by surprise as he thought for sure it was a hoax when he first heard the news.

Following Tuesday night's win over the Los Angeles Clippers, James opened up about how he felt when he learned about the trade. He and his family were out getting something to eat after the Lakers' win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden when he found out and it took him a few days to really believe it.

"I was out with my family at dinner and got the news and the first time I heard it I thought it was for sure fake," said James, who had 26 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in Tuesday's blowout win over the Clippers. "Thought it was hoax. People messing around or whatever. But then when AD called me, AD FaceTimed me and I talked to him for quite a while. And even when I got off the phone with him it didn’t seem real. It still pretty much didn’t seem real until I saw Luka today and saw a clip of AD at the Dallas shootaround. That’s when it finally hit that oh s---, this is real."

LeBron James explains how he thought the Luka trade was a “hoax” when he first heard it: pic.twitter.com/ZpqEahMKuz

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 5, 2025

It will get even more real for LeBron and the Lakers once Doncic is cleared to return from a calf injury, which could happen early next week.

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