Luka Doncic reveals how a childhood hobby helped make him an NBA star
Growing up in Slovenia, Doncic had two sporting loves as a child and he believes that both helped him in his career.
Luka Doncic has been working hard this summer to regain his best physical form as he is tasked with leading the Los Angeles Lakers’ project into a new era.
The 2025/26 season will be his first full year with the Los Angeles franchise and the pressure to succeed is immense. The Slovenian star is set to become the face of the franchise for years to come and he is expected to win championships.
During his seven previous seasons in the NBA Doncic has stood out for his offensive talent and, in particular, his exceptional footwork. Recently he revealed the origin of that skill: soccer. The Slovenian played the sport during his childhood and says it was key to developing his coordination and mobility on the basketball court.
“When we were kids, we would play a lot of different sports. [Soccer] was definitely the second sport I played the most,” Doncic explained. “Striker, of course. I think playing football helped me with my footwork. You know, you can take some steps out of those sports.”
It’s not uncommon to see him performing a few kick-ups with a basketball while warming up before games, demonstrating that he is still pretty good at the sport that appealed so much in his childhood. His technique, combined with his vision and creativity, have made him one of the most complete players in the league and a great hope for the Lakers’ future.
So far in his NBA career, Luka Doncic has continued to improve each year and if he stays fit he’ll have the opportunity to have an MVP-worthy season. The next step this summer may well be a new contract, tying him to the Lakers for the remainder of his peak years. If he can lead the Lakers to a championship in that time, he may well have soccer to thank.
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