Luka Dončić Interview: I Have the Ability to Compete for MVP, But My Primary Goal Has Always Been the Championship

On December 19th Beijing time, Lakers star Luka Dončić sat down with ESPN to discuss his recent form and his feelings about becoming a father. Below is the full interview transcript—

Reporter: This season marks your highest career average scoring so far, clearly establishing you as one of the elite scorers. Do you think this is the best period of your career?

Dončić: I don't think that’s the case. I believe I can still play better. In many games, I feel I could have performed at a higher level. So judging solely by scoring stats, I don’t see this as my peak yet; I feel there’s still a lot of potential for me to unlock.

Reporter: So what higher standards do you set for yourself?

Dončić: At the start of the season, my defense was quite solid, and now I’m aiming to regain that defensive form. At the same time, I want to cut down on turnovers, improve offensive efficiency, grab more rebounds, and dish out more assists. In all these areas, I feel I can elevate my game.

Reporter: Clearly, you and Austin Reaves are core players for the team, and LeBron James is as well. No one can predict how his career will end—maybe not even himself. Having become teammates with him this year, how does that feel?

Dončić: It’s truly incredible. This is already his 23rd NBA season, yet he still maintains such an elite level of play. Playing alongside him feels amazing. It’s obvious that his sustained excellence comes from his consistent discipline over the years. Witnessing him perform at this level at his age is truly awe-inspiring.

Reporter: Not long ago, you returned to Slovenia and, together with your fiancée, welcomed your second daughter, Olivia. How did it feel to experience such a major life event while the NBA season was in full swing?

Dončić: Honestly, that period was quite challenging. But being there at the moment my daughter was born made me really happy—I didn’t want to miss such an important moment. Being a father is an amazing feeling, especially having two daughters. When my first daughter was born, I said this: no matter how well or poorly you perform on the court, your kids’ attitude toward you never changes. As long as you come home and spend time with them, they’ll be very happy—that’s the greatest joy. Now, I just want to be a good dad and spend more time with my kids; that’s enough for me. That’s what life is all about.

Reporter: You have yet to win a regular-season MVP award, but during your career so far, you’ve earned nearly every other honor available to a player. Do you think you have a chance to compete for MVP this year?

Dončić: I believe I have what it takes to go after that trophy. But clearly, my main goal has always been the championship. I don’t focus too much on individual accolades. However, anyone who plays basketball wants to win MVP, and I’m no exception. But I understand that individual honors come hand in hand with team success—only when the team wins do those awards follow. So my priority is to focus on every game and do my best to win each one.