If the old adage of history being a great teacher is true, then the Los Angeles Lakers will be poised for an exceptional future in the 2025-26 NBA season. That all starts and ends with Luka Doncic, and how his participation at EuroBasket 2025 is about to set him up for a monstrous campaign.
The biggest offseason storyline presently surrounding Doncic is that of his new contract extension with the Lakers. The three-year, $165 million agreement between him and Los Angeles has officially taken the spotlight away from Luka's incredible body transformation this summer.
Can the 2017 champs reclaim the throne? 🏆
Slovenia 🇸🇮 announces their preliminary roster ahead of #EuroBasket 2025!
➡️ Latest squads: https://t.co/KOg1NXa0uq pic.twitter.com/C8frtMCfSE
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) July 7, 2025
There looming story of Doncic's activity at EuroBasket, amid this busy summer, should prove even more valuable to the Lakers than a contract extension or offseason workout routine. Why would that be the case?
Well, because last time one of Doncic's summers included an international competition, the Slovenian superstar came back and turned in the most impressive season of his young NBA career. The Lakers will surely want history to repeat itself.
Luka Doncic's nuclear mode button has recharged for first time since 2023
In the summer of 2023, Doncic represented the Slovenian national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. That year's international basketball competition featured some dazzling performances from the former Dallas Mavericks superstar.
Doncic posted 25 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers to secure his country's spot at the tournament. The superstar point guard continued his excellent performances once the main competition officially began.
Doncic averaged 27 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game at FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. His performances were not strong enough to help Slovenia secure a medal. Still, Doncic's country wound up finishing in a respectable 7th place among all competitors.
A dominant 2023-24 NBA season for Doncic and the Mavericks followed an impressive showing of summer hoops. Luka finished third in MVP voting, trailing only Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Many will still argue about him being snubbed for that award to this day.
Doncic finished the 2023-24 season with the highest cumulative average of points, rebounds, and assists since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. The former Mavericks guard posted 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game.
LUKA DONCIC COOKS RUDY GOBERT AND HITS A STEP BACK GAME WINNER 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/e9DGxFpIks
— Guru (@DrGuru_) May 25, 2024
Thanks in large parts to his efforts, Dallas secured a 50-win season and the 5th seed in the Western Conference. What followed was the first NBA Finals appearance for the franchise since 2011.
That run ultimately ended with a Boston Celtics championship, but it was not for nothing. Doncic was so great during the 2023-24 season that it forced many to question whether he had a claim to the title of best player in the NBA.
The Lakers will hope Eurobasket 2025 sparks the same kind of success for Doncic and the franchise in 2025-26 that the Mavericks got to enjoy. The only difference Los Angeles would hope for is the final result in the NBA Finals.