Luka Doncic takes the mic and signals a new era for the Lakers

At center court, in front of Lakers fans, Luka Doncic picked up the microphone before the team’s season opener. His message was brief, but it set the tone for a new chapter in Los Angeles. “Hello, Laker Nation. Thank you for supporting us. It’s the start of something new. It’s going to be a special season, so thank you for your support,” Doncic said. The moment carried extra meaning with LeBron James no longer on the team. Doncic was the one who addressed the fans and spoke for the Lakers as they began a new season. That doesn’t mean he can replace what LeBron meant to the franchise, but it showed that Doncic is stepping into a public leadership role. Now he has to make that role his own on the court. The speech was the first gesture; the season opener against Golden State was his first chance to show he could lead the Lakers through the season.