Austin Reaves believes the Los Angeles Lakers are in good hands with Luka Dončić leading the franchise, and his latest comments show their relationship extends well beyond the basketball court.
After signing a long-term extension to remain in Los Angeles, Reaves has spoken candidly about his close friendship with Dončić, describing the five-time All-NBA guard as “one of my best friends on this planet” while embracing the opportunity to build the Lakers’ future together.
“He’s One of My Best Friends”
Speaking after committing his future to the Lakers, Reaves revealed just how close he and Dončić have become.
“He’s one of my best friends on this planet,” Reaves said.
“I talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better and I tell him I’m not a coach.”
The pair quickly developed chemistry after Dončić arrived in Los Angeles, with Reaves emerging as one of the biggest beneficiaries of playing alongside one of the NBA’s premier playmakers.
Lakers Building Around Luka
Reaves’ comments come after a transformative offseason for the Lakers, who have reshaped their roster around Dončić following LeBron James’ departure to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Los Angeles added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney while making it a priority to retain Reaves as one of Dončić’s key backcourt partners. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the roster has effectively been built around Dončić’s strengths and preferences.
According to McMenamin, Dončić was “excited” by the Lakers’ offseason moves and believed the organisation had assembled a roster capable of competing for a championship.
Reaves Ready for Bigger Responsibility
With James no longer in Los Angeles, Reaves is expected to shoulder a greater offensive role alongside Dončić.
The former undrafted guard enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025-26 and has become one of the NBA’s most respected secondary playmakers. His ability to play both on and off the ball makes him an ideal complement to Dončić’s ball-dominant style.
Rather than viewing the added responsibility as pressure, Reaves appears eager to embrace the challenge as the Lakers enter a new era.
Dončić Already Setting the Standard
Dončić has also taken an active leadership role throughout the offseason.
The Slovenian superstar recently organised a multi-day team minicamp in his hometown of Ljubljana, bringing together much of the Lakers’ roster to build chemistry ahead of training camp. The initiative mirrored the leadership approach previously taken by LeBron James and highlighted Dončić’s growing influence within the organisation.
With the Lakers fully committed to building around Dončić, Reaves’ comments reinforce the belief that one of the NBA’s strongest backcourt partnerships could be entering its prime.
