Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Slovenia, powered by its very own Luka Doncic, had been unstoppable until that dreaded semifinal. And their roadblock here? A human barricade in the form of a 7’1 center by the name of—you guessed it—Rudy Gobert. Since then, Luka has pretty much made it his life’s mission to best the, well… one of NBA’s premier defenders today. You’d think dropping 47 in EuroBasket 2022 and the ultimate KO—hitting that insane step-back three against the Frenchman—in 2024 WCFs would quench his thirst. Turns out, Luka’s got a bottomless well!

That fire hasn’t died down—if anything, it’s evolved. Doncic recently sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. During the interview, Malika asked him about all the GIFs, memes, and the like of him going up against Rudy Gobert. And when she asked what exactly is it about these matchups that Luka loves so much, his answer basically reiterated why it was, in fact, his life’s mission.

“I think he’s a great defender. You know? No matter who it is, I just like to go against centers. When you go against the best, you gotta be at the top, so that’s what I’m trying to do,” said the Lakers’ superstar. But Gobert wasn’t the only one on Luka’s mind.

Now entering his first postseason as a Laker, Doncic has more than just old rivalries fueling him. This past year has been nothing short of a rollercoaster: a shocking mid-season trade, whispers from his former club questioning his dedication, and the task of adjusting to life under L.A.’s unforgiving spotlight. And behind all of it? The sting of coming up short.

But there was more to this interview. Doncic and Malika Andrews discussed Luka and the Mavs’ failed attempt at winning the chip last year. Pivoting off that, she asked whether his new team had what it takes to go all the way.

What we saw was an intense Luka Doncic responding to Malika’s question, making a demand from his teammate.

Luka Doncic reflects on 2024 NBA Finals loss to Celtics; sends message to his Lakers teammates

Last year, Luka Doncic averaged 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the 2024 NBA Finals. All this was in vain, however, as the Boston Celtics dispatched the Dallas Mavericks in 5 games to become the 2024 NBA Champions. It was a difficult pill to swallow for Luka Doncic, who basically dragged the Mavs to the finals alongside his “hermano” Kyrie Irving. And he revealed just how crushing that loss felt last year.

“You could’ve won, but you lost. So you wanna be a champion. I mean, I wanna be a champion. That’s all you can think about after you lose. And it was devastating,” said Doncic. Clearly, going out at the last moment stings for Luka. So when Malika asked if the Lakers could become champions this year, the intensity within Luka became evident.

“Yes. I think so. Yes. And it’s gonna take everything, every little detail. Every possession is gonna take everything,” said Luka, laser-focused on a single goal. And if anyone had any qualms about his dedication to the game, the fire behind his eyes as he answered this question will have evaporated those doubts. It’s clear that Doncic now has a chip on his shoulder.

When Andrews dug deeper as to whether his loyalty is now to the Lakers, Doncic replied, “Of course. I mean, like I say, you know, loyalty is to the basketball first.” And? Staying in Los Angeles is exactly what he wants to do now. Clealry, he seems willing to give everything he has and more to reach championship glory. And seemingly, he expects it of his teammates, too.

Well, we’ll soon get an idea of whether his teammates got the memo. Luka and the Los Angeles Lakers begin their Playoffs journey against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. And we can’t wait to see how the Lakers version of Luka does in the postseason!