Luka Doncic is the latest superstar who will take the mantle and be the face of this Los Angeles Lakers franchise. Once LeBron James retires, he will fully take that spot from James, who followed the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, of course, is not just a Lakers legend, but one of the most iconic athletes the NBA has ever had, transcending well beyond the game of basketball. This is why it was so disheartening to see one of the many murals honoring him and his daughter Gianna Bryant, who both tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020, recently damaged.
A GoFundMe was started to repair the mural and the top donor was Doncic himself, who put forth $5,000 towards the cause. And following Lakers practice on Tuesday, he explained why he chose to do so.
“Like I always say, my foundation gives back to organizations in the community,” Doncic said. “It’s always important to give back to the community that gave me so much. So just wanted to give back.”
Luka has spoken previously about how important Kobe was to him as a basketball player and how he wished he was still here to see him join this Lakers franchise. Bryant had an impact on so many athletes worldwide and Doncic was one of many who idolized him growing up.
These murals might not seem like a big deal, but for someone as revered and beloved as Kobe and as young and innocent as Gianna, it is so much more than just a painting. For someone to disrespect that with graffiti and profanity was beyond unnecessary and it shows a lot about Luka’s character that he wanted to ensure this wrong was undone.
Even in the midst of an intense playoff battle, Doncic saw something that needed to be fixed and took the initiative to do so, just as Bryant would have done.
This gesture does nothing to take away from Luka Doncic’s focus as the Lakers face elimination in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coming back from down 3-1 is no easy task and Doncic knows the Lakers must take things one game at a time, but he and the team are confident heading into this must-win game.
“Confident,” Luka responded when asked about their mood heading into Game 5. “Confidence is a big part of it. Like I said, we gotta treat it like it’s Game 7 and we gotta stay together.”
