Lakers Champion Sasha Vujacic Throws Shade at Mavericks With Bold Luka Dončić Claim

Lakers Champion Sasha Vujacic Throws Shade at Mavericks With Bold Luka Dončić Claim

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering the 2025-26 season with a fresh wave of optimism, and much of it centers on their newest superstar: Luka Dončić. While the Dallas Mavericks are still reeling from the fallout of losing their generational talent, one former Laker champion is adding salt to the wound.

Two-time Lakers champion Sasha Vujacic, who carved out his legacy as part of the Kobe Bryant-led squads that went back-to-back in 2009 and 2010, didn’t mince words when asked about Dončić’s move from Dallas to Los Angeles. For him, the Slovenian star was never meant to stay in Dallas his game, his personality, and his aura were simply too big for that market.

“100%. And I think that  not to diss Dallas  but I think Luka’s light and capability were way too big for the Dallas spotlight,” Vujacic said in an interview with ESPN LA. “I think Luka is the perfect guy that we need in L.A. to carry us to that next championship. And I said it a long time ago when I watched him play  there are glimpses I see from Kobe, like in his eyes. He plays with a smile, but he wants to kill you.”

For Lakers fans, the comparison to Kobe is no small compliment. It’s a statement that carries weight, especially coming from someone who spent years alongside the late legend during the Lakers’ most recent dynasty. Vujacic isn’t just praising Dončić’s scoring ability or flashy highlights; he’s pointing to something deeper, an inner drive and mentality that separates good players from the all-time greats.

And that’s where the shade toward Dallas cuts sharpest. The Mavericks had Luka Dončić for seven years seven years to build around him, seven years to deliver a roster worthy of his talents. Instead, Vujacic suggests, they failed to give him the stage he deserved. In Los Angeles, with the weight of the purple and gold on his shoulders and the city of stars behind him, Dončić finally has the platform to ascend to basketball immortality.

“There was a saying in our locker room you smell blood, you go at them  and I think Luka is one of those few individuals in the league that has that demeanor, and has that mindset of trying to go to the next level,” Vujacic added. “I think it’s going to be a fun year, and I’m really happy he’s with us.”

It’s not hard to see why Vujacic and the Lakers faithful are buzzing. Dončić has slimmed down in the offseason, reshaped his body, and signed a massive contract extension that cements his commitment to the franchise. Add in a healthy Anthony Davis and the potential of a Kyrie Irving reunion in marquee matchups, and suddenly the Lakers look like they’re built not just to compete but to dominate.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, questions linger. Did the Mavericks waste the prime years of one of the most talented players in NBA history? Were they too small of a stage for Luka Dončić’s greatness? And perhaps most painfully for Mavs fans, will his story in Los Angeles mirror the Kobe-led Lakers’ championship runs that Sasha Vujacic remembers so fondly?

If Vujacic is right, the Lakers may have stolen more than just a superstar they may have stolen the league’s future.