The Story of Luka Dončić’s Rise! | Pass The Rock

The NBA. The greatest basketball players in the world. A league that will grow by leaps and rebounds. I've never seen a trade of this size in any sport. There's a steady flow of new stars coming into the league. That's the kind of excitement that's helped the NBA grow in the past 25 years. You need to pay attention to Luka Doncic. He's going to have a huge chip on his shoulder. This new wave, they're not scared. I don't think there's a best way. I don't think there's a good way to guard Luka Doncic. It gets hard. Doncic lines it up. He does! He is that guy! Luka Magic took over in Atlanta, dropping 73 points against the Hawks. Here's the step back for a new Maverick winner. Unstoppable and unbelievable. When Luka sees the big on his eyes get like this. Doncic hands the ball, down by two. Here's the switch. The Western Conference champions are the Dallas Mavericks. They're going to the NBA Finals. 24 NBA Finals, they are set. Luka and the Mavs will square off against Jason Tatum and the Celtics. Going into a Finals where you're the underdog, you definitely have a different demeanor. You have a different feeling. Doncic spinning, fading from 18, and it rattled it home. He's a brilliant player, but if Luka's ever going to be a winner coming out of this tunnel here, he is going to have to use what's happened in this Finals as a learning experience. It's over. The Celtics are NBA champions. I mean, it wasn't great, you know, because we lost, but me, personally, I learned a lot, you know, from what it takes to win. I'm proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches. Obviously, we didn't win Finals, but we got to fight next season. Come the playoffs, teams are more able to hunt him. Is he the reason they lost? There's always going to be criticism, you know. But then I always remember when I was young, I just wanted to be an NBA player. That's it. My dad played basketball, so he showed me the game. He told me, you know, just work hard, have fun. Look, I'm not going to force you, just wait. Bye-bye. We played on the roof. So, really, I'm not going to force him. I'm not going to force him to wear a shirt, because the camera is going to catch him. We used to play one-on-one. Now he doesn't want to play one-on-one, because the last time he beat me. So now he doesn't want to play, because he knows what's going to happen. Every time after school I went to play basketball outside, I had a court right next to my apartment. Obviously, he was a prodigy, right? He signs with Real Madrid when he's 13 years old. I've been playing basketball professionally a long time. When I was 13, I went to Spain by myself. The boy wonder, Luka Doncic. He's taken every award that he could possibly take this year. We have this kid who can play a little bit of basketball. Every time I step on the court, I just want to have fun. If I don't have fun, I just don't play so good, you know? We've never seen a prospect at his age accomplish what he has. I'm a kid. I just want to play basketball. You know, every day I'm living my dream, so it's a really good thing. Watch out. They're afraid. I've known him since more than 10 years ago. He's a great friend, so we come here often and just have fun. Coming off a finals appearance last year, what's your mindset heading into a new season? Have fun first of all, and then obviously go back to the finals and win the championship. That's the main goal. Breaking news. The Lakers and Mavericks making it a blockbuster night. This is the most stunning trade in NBA history. I'm told the Dallas Mavericks called the Los Angeles Lakers and offered Luka Doncic. He had to put out another tweet saying, yes, this is real. Luka Doncic headed to the Lakers. A trade of this magnitude and not a whiff of this could potentially happen is baffling. 77 in blue is all I thought I would ever see. In thinking about today and what it means, Luka Doncic joining forces with the Los Angeles Lakers is a seismic event in NBA history. I was almost asleep, so when I got a call, it was a big shock. It was hard moments for me. It was home. It's a really special moment here. I never imagined this happening. And now I can sign an extension with Dallas Mavericks for five more years. But this for me is a fresh start. I get to play in LA. The fans are amazing. It's the Lakers. Welcome to the group, guys. Luka's had the best seven-year start that any player's had since LeBron, and now they're going to be on the same team. LeBron James. It's just like a dream come true, you know. I always look up to him. Now I get to play with him, so it's just amazing. Luka's a big-time player, 25 years old. I'm happy to have him. LA's happy to have him. And it's still a little bit surreal, honestly. After one of the most shocking trades in sports history, Luka Doncic finally makes his LA Laker debut. 23 plus 77 is 100. Yeah, let's get it. Here we are. Luka Doncic is indeed a Laker, night one of a new era in Los Angeles. You know, after that speech, it was chills for him to say something like that. It just feels amazing. Gives me confidence. The entire city has been anticipating this very night. It was packed about an hour before the game. I was a little nervous before. I told myself, this is what I do. This is what I enjoy most doing. So, that was the moment. Look at the crowd. They're going crazy. They're going crazy. Luka Doncic has it here. Wearing 77 in the gold. Working on Kessler. For three! Luka, welcome to the Lakers! Luka's first three as a Laker, and the place goes nuts. Once I stepped on the court, it was fun. Being out there felt amazing. Up ahead. Great throw. Scored! It's a new team. New everything. It was just a surreal feeling. Welcome back, brother. 77-23. They so good. You got LeBron James and Luka Doncic. I can't front. The Lakers look marvelous. These dudes are getting everybody involved. They are contenders. Something special is happening tonight that we have been waiting for weeks. What would the energy be like when Luka looked across and saw the Mavericks? It was the trade that stunned the world, and tonight was the first night that we circled on the calendar. Luka versus the Mavs. Five-time All-NBA. This guy didn't know he was being traded at all. I had my amazing moments in Dallas. I thought I was going to spend my whole career there. Because I think loyalty is a big word for me. You talk about an ultimate revenge game. He is going to have something to prove. In downtown LA, Hayes controls the opening tip to LeBron, and now he gives it to Luka. Doncic gets to the basket and lays it in. That was just vintage Luka. And it's going to be a foul. Countdown. And one as Doncic gets to the basket. Doncic, no luck into the corner for Achimura. He garners so much attention. He has this unique ability to live in the tension. Doncic, wow. Behind the head. Reaves wide. Luka. Luka matching. On display in the purple and gold. Rebound. Finney-Smith in the lane. Knocked away by Irving, but Finney-Smith recovered it. Back out to Luka. Deep three. When his aggressiveness is turned up, we trust him with the basketball. My team trusts me to make the right play and to win. Doncic rips another one and immediately turns to the Mavericks' bench. You know he wants to make a statement, and boy has he here. My heart's aching. My heart is full of pain. My liver starts to quiver every time I hear your name. He is highly motivated. You can see it. And he's basically saying, beware. Here I come. You fell in my arms and fitted like a glove. Then you led me knee-deep into the love of my life. The greatest combo going right now. Just toying with him. Triple-double for Luka Doncic. You got me rocking and reeling. All because of you, Luka. And Doncic is going to grab his share of headlines with the triple-double in his first game against his own team. Did not disappoint. I was able to help him get his win. This Lakers team is about the present. They are legit contenders. A lot of people are going to expect a lot of things from us, and we just got to try to get to the finals and see what we can do.