LeBron James agrees with Luka Doncic's first impressions of culture shock in LA after titanic trade

LA Lakers superstar Luka Doncic made an appearance on Sunday’s episode of the Mind the Game podcast, co-hosted by LeBron James and Steve Nash. During his time on the show, Doncic shed light on a number of subjects, including the cultural shock he faced after moving to LA in February.

Halfway through his interview, Steve Nash asked Doncic about how he’s adjusting to LA. It is important to note that the Slovenian superstar is from a country that boasts a population of around two million. But he’s currently living in Southern California, an area that houses close to 40 million people.

Despite the massive culture shock, Doncic doesn’t mind living in LA, since it has multiple water bodies:

“Well, first of all, like this is the first city I've played in that has an ocean. And I really like the ocean. So that was nice. First thing, I mean, after a couple of days, that was the first thing on my mind.

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“It's a lot. I like it. I like it very much. The only thing is the traffic. It's the f***ing traffic.”

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LeBron James agreed with Doncic’s first impression of LA by alluding an interaction the two had shortly after the February trade:

“The first thing I ask you is, 'Are you adjusting?' I like the beach. It's the first thing you see, I like the beach.”

Doncic revealed that the traffic isn’t as big of an issue since he enjoys driving. He also shared that he enjoyed a visit to Santa Barbara, which is merely a two-hour drive away from LA.

Luka Doncic has a big decision to make ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season

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Luka Doncic has a big decision coming up as his contract with the LA Lakers will soon come to an end. The 2025-26 season is the only guaranteed year that the Lakers can get out of Doncic, since he has a player option for 2026-27. If the Slovenian superstar declines the said option, he will be a free agent next year.

So, next season will be key for both the LA Lakers and Luka Doncic. If both sides find success, we can expect their partnership to continue. However, another failed season could lead to Doncic setting out in search of greener pastures.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman