Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Luka Dončić Has Injury Scare (But Should Be Fine), and Pat Riley Gets a Statue

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

The Lakers got their first big scare of the offseason, when Luka Dončić had to leave this weekend's game for Slovenia against Latvia (after lighting up the Latvians in the first half). It made for s...ome scary Tweets, but in the end, turned out (we think) to be ok. Dončić reportedly wanted to go back into the game and was held back. He's reportedly already practicing again, and isn't expected to miss Eurobasket action. Now, this type of thing scares the **** out of the Lakers and Lakers fans. But it's also something everyone needs to get used to, because summertime international play is part of the Luka experience. And will be most offseasons. It's another reason this question of fitness and diet is so important. These games may not count on his NBA ledger, but they count for his body. It's additional wear that has to be accounted for. So two things - first, fans can be excited by the 26 point first half Luka posted before exiting the game, but they can also freak out over every injury scare like this one. But this is the world the Lakers live in. Time to get used to it! Meanwhile, Pat Riley is getting a statue this year. Can't imagine fans would argue about that, but it begs the question, who's next? How many people are still in the queue?  HOSTS: Andy and Brian KamenetzkySEGMENT 1: Luka gets an injury scare prepping for Eurobasket. SEGMENT 2: Why the fitness mattersSEGMENT 3: Riley gets a statue!  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, everyone, welcome to Lock on Lakers for Monday. Brian Komeneski, Andy Kaminetsky, Luca Donchich suffers an injury scare. Get used to that angsty feeling, Lakers fans. That's next. You are locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network,
Starting point is 00:00:23 your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Lockdown Lakers. First listen to every day Monday through Friday, no matter how or where you get your podcast. This one's always free. Never behind a paywall. on Lakers on YouTube, of course, is where over 36,000 subscribers to the channel are all breathing again after the weekend's injury scare for Luca Donchich.
Starting point is 00:00:48 He suffers a knee contusion against, it was Latvia in the second half of that game. After lighting him up, by the way, it should be noted in the first half. So he played very well, left the game. And at the very least, if you were following along on Twitter and just, just watching headlines go by as what happened to me. You damn near freaked out, Andy, but it does look like, from a physical standpoint, Luca is okay. Yeah, the sequence happened where Luca,
Starting point is 00:01:22 one of his teammates, I think, was essentially trying to take a charge as someone was driving against him. And his teammate ended up getting knocked into Luca, who was in pretty, tight space as it was, went into Luca's leg and knee. To me, it didn't honestly. I saw a lot of the freak out on social media, but then when I actually watched the sequence itself, it didn't look that bad, although you never quite know until you start getting a rundown of what's happened. Luca gets checked out, that sort of thing. But really where you knew it was going to be okay,
Starting point is 00:02:00 beyond the fact that the Slovenian national team has actually said in a formal announcement that he's okay, was Luca coming back onto the bench in a very good mood without too much time elapsing between the incident and him reemerging. Like I know it was a little bit scary
Starting point is 00:02:21 or at least anxiety producing in that period, but it didn't last that long. No, and then you started to see like a trickle of news, you know, people watching the broadcast. So they said on the broadcast, apparently, that he wanted to come back in. And good work, Slovenia. They said no. Not going to, in part because when Luca went out of the game, Latvia went on a big run.
Starting point is 00:02:46 And I don't think the game was really in reach anymore at that point. It was a friendly. It was a, you know, a prep game. So it's like it wasn't part of the tournament. They didn't need him to be in. There was no reason at all. and, you know, again, reportedly practicing again, doing all that. Like, he's, he's okay.
Starting point is 00:03:05 But that said, Andy, two things. First, it was his second game after that sort of initial game. That was the first game he had played live. He skipped Slovenia's next game after that, was back on the floor for this one. And it didn't be able to 26 at halftime. Like, he was dominant in. that first half. So in terms of seeing Luca round into form and look good on the floor and all that stuff, like fans were getting a classic like, let's go kind of moment like, you know, that's our
Starting point is 00:03:41 guy kind of thing. And that's in part why it was so scary when he left the floor. But it is, it is okay first and foremost, I think now to revert back to, you know, we'll get to the injury question here in a second. But take a minute to be excited. by how well he was playing in that first half before he had to leave with the injury. It feels like a continuation of what we saw in that first game with Luca the first time. He had played five on five since the Lakers were eliminated by the wolves in game five. Famously, the process of becoming skinny Luca involved no five on five basketball whatsoever.
Starting point is 00:04:22 It involved very little basketball, period. but whatever time off between game five and the first game for Slovenia, Rust did not seem to be a thing at all. Like even game one with it not being Luca's most efficient outing, Luca's going to have just like every great player
Starting point is 00:04:42 inefficient games that have nothing to do with Rust, like sometimes. Yeah, I mean, he was, you just miss shots. He was still poor right. Is that Rust, is it timing? I don't know. But, I mean, he didn't look bad by any stretch. And certainly you look comfortable.
Starting point is 00:04:56 You look very comfortable. And so like I, you would expect Luca, by the way, to put up big numbers in these games. He typically does, you know, his history playing with Slovenia. If you think the Lakers are going to be a Luca-centric group, certainly Slovenia is as well. But the other part about this is, you know, there, we were talking about it kind of over the weekend, texting a little bit. like you get used to oh it's an Olympic year LeBron's going to play Anthony Davis is going to play go back a few years Kobe's going to play whatever it is and even now there are more tournaments there's that World Cup tournament that that didn't exist before and there are qualifiers and there are things there's just a little bit
Starting point is 00:05:43 more going on internationally but at least with the U.S. aside from the Olympics you generally don't see the most elite players. Like there's that next group, the 1A guys, the B plus guys, a lot of times will play in the qualifiers or the lesser tournaments and things like that. Luca plays everything for Slovenia. If there is an international tournament
Starting point is 00:06:06 that Slovenia can play in or qualify for a meaning, Luca's going to play at it. And it is, it's not a negotiable. It's not a thing like, is he going to do it this? year. It's not something where you can, as the Lakers or anybody else, whisper in his ear and say,
Starting point is 00:06:26 you know, maybe, how about you skip it this year or something like that? You know, he takes it. That obligation incredibly seriously. It is baked into the Dantage experience. And so Lakers fans can have to get used to this off, this type of feeling in the off season where you are both watching him play with excitement and enjoyment, but maybe kind of looking through your fingers. because you're worried the whole time. Look, I'm going to be honest. I don't know how many non-Slovenian Laker slash Luca fans are going to be watching this with any form of excitement. I think if most American-born or frankly born anywhere other than Slovenia, Laker fans.
Starting point is 00:07:10 That's probably true. I mean, I'm just being honest. No, you're right. You're right. How many Laker fans who are not Slovenian are going to be watching these games with any excitement? like true inherent excitement. How many of them do you think honestly would prefer Luca do this in the first place? As much as the highlights will be cool to watch maybe in the moment,
Starting point is 00:07:32 but certainly after the moment, if you know Luca comes out of it in one piece, the reality is, I think still, if Luca comes out of it in one piece, most of these non-Slovenian Luca fans slash now Laker fans and Zadravo, welcome aboard to all of you, Like, you're going to prefer Luca doesn't play in these things at all. And I don't think there are going to be many downsides to the Luca era experience for Laker fans. But this might be one of those things that causes some discomfort that, like you said, Brian,
Starting point is 00:08:09 you just got to wrap your head around it because, and it's been, it's, I mean, you have to go back to, you have to go back to Powell for the Lakers having an international. star on their team. But as important as Powell was, he still was not in the pecking order that Luca represents for this team. Like if Powell got hurt playing for Spain, that would be a big deal for the Lakers. But it is not comparatively the same big deal if Kobe had gotten hurt for the Lakers. So again, you're just going to have to get used to this as a Laker fan who, who was not inherently caught up in Lucas' performances. Right.
Starting point is 00:08:54 Or Slovenia in the first place. You were not, you're talking about the Laker fan, Andy, who perhaps hadn't planned on watching Eurobasket last January. They weren't getting themselves ready. They didn't know what Eurobasket was. You and I cover basketball NBA-related and otherwise as a job. It's taken me like a month to realize Eurobasket.
Starting point is 00:09:19 it's not made up. No, I knew it was a real thing. I did know it. I never watched it, but I did know it was a real thing. I had no idea what it was. Yeah, that I knew. Still not even quite sure. If I'm being honest, I don't quite know what they're playing for.
Starting point is 00:09:35 Some sort of basket viewing, European basket viewing, I'm not sure. To your point, like, I mean, I knew what it was, and I know it's important. I know it's a big tournament, but I wasn't going to otherwise pay attention to it. and I think a lot of Lakers fans are obviously like that. Like, you know, it's not disparaging the quality of the basketball. It's just not something that people are going to be watching. And the important thing is, though, there are two things. And I'll say the first one here and then the second one after break.
Starting point is 00:10:03 But the first important thing is, again, you cannot ask him not to play. Like, you know, if there's a year where Lucas banged up, he's coming out, like, there's an injury. He finishes the season. He may make decisions in different off seasons not to play, but the team really can't. It would have to be very risky for Luca to play for the Lakers to say something. Or just flat out, he's just injured. Like, you know, and I look, I think Luca gets the responsibility he's got as professional
Starting point is 00:10:37 to the organization, but at the same time, it is, it's just a non-negotiable. He's going to play for Slovenia internationally if he is able. to, and that's just how it is always going to be. But the second thing, it's actually related to some of the stuff that we've been talking about throughout a lot of the summer. And I'll get to that next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by Fandual, August 26, marks officially Fandual Future's Day, a brand new holiday for football fans who love bold predictions and preseason hunches for just 24 hours. Again, August 26th, Fandul is giving you deals on NFL season predictions. So, whether you're calling your MVP shot,
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Starting point is 00:12:07 All right, so we'll get to a couple things. There are some Rui news. There is some Pat Riley statue news. We get through here in a second. But just to finish this Luca conversation, there is this is part of the same arc of benefits so to speak, Andy, that comes with the fitness thing and the body transformation. I realize these games do not counts for his NBA ledger. They're not going on his permanent record with the NBA and it's not something we necessarily going to think about every time we talk about the amount of basketball that he's playing.
Starting point is 00:12:47 But it's too narrow just to say. NBA season playoffs, like that's his workload. Like these, this counts. And it's very manageable. It's not a crazy amount of games compressed into a crazy amount of time. It's when he would be training and working out and doing all these things and playing some anyway, just as part of his offseason preparation.
Starting point is 00:13:14 But these are games. They are hard fought. They create ways. and tear. They do all this like this international competition that we're going to be seeing Luke in, whether it's Eurobasket, whether it's an Olympic qualifier, whether it's the Olympics, whether it's the World Cup year, year after year, whatever. It is part of what goes into the total mileage of Luca Donchich. And it is another reason why this transformation of his fitness, this transformation of his diet and all this other stuff is important. Because,
Starting point is 00:13:49 Because if he's going to be doing this stuff too, if he doesn't keep himself kind of together, it wears out faster. Everything just goes faster. Yeah, we've talked before. I remember in particular with both Tim McMahon when he was promoting his book Wonderboy about Luca Dodg, which if you have not read, you should. Because it is a really, really good look at Luca's entire basketball upbringing from Slovenia and Real Madrid to the, the Mavericks to the Lakers. But with Tim McMahon and also, it's Doc Franco, who's covered Luca since Real Madrid, in a lot of ways, Luca is comparable to a child star in that he's been working professionally in basketball since he was a teenager. And, you know, he was playing for
Starting point is 00:14:39 the, I don't know, the equivalent of the junior club or whatever for Real Madrid. He wasn't playing against truly grown-ass adults when he was 13. But this was serious business. And, you know, I get the impression that insofar as the toll that it may take on you, it is more strenuous than, say, the typical 13-year-old AAU circuit in America. I may be wrong about that, but that's the impression that I get. They're generally pretty careful about minutes and young guys don't always play a lot, but he's been doing this a while. He is not, he's 26 years old.
Starting point is 00:15:13 He is, this is his seventh year. He's going to be coming up his eighth season. Eighth season. and he's got more mileage on his on his basketball body. If you cut him open and count his rings, so to speak, from a basketball perspective, he's not 26. Right. He's got more mileage of that.
Starting point is 00:15:30 And that's not necessarily a problem, so to speak. Like he's still, he is still, you know, just now entering his prime. And it's not like you're, it's the equivalent of buying a sports car with 150,000 miles on it. Like, he's fine. It's just something that I think all of us have. to be cognizant of because again, like it's been a while since the Lakers have had a true international star to begin with, much less one of Luca's stature and importance. Like, it's basically Powell than wherever you think Vladi was, I guess, you know, and that's going back 30 years in
Starting point is 00:16:09 terms of Vladi's importance with the team. He's pretty good player, but, you know, I don't even thinking he was at Powell Gasol's important. So this is fairly uncharted territory for Laker fans to, again, just get used to. The other thing, too, and this makes a difference, Powell played for a stronger national team. So there was more support there, you know, particularly after Mark ascended. And like, yeah, there was more. I'm not trying to be spared convenient. Right.
Starting point is 00:16:42 not trying to disney Rudy Fernandez not disparaging you know Slovenia's national team talent but it's there there are a ton of NBA guys on that roster
Starting point is 00:16:52 where a lot of guys on the the Spanish national team played in the NBA so it's just you know that team wasn't quite as dependent on POW either but anyway it's it's he's fine but you know
Starting point is 00:17:06 we all made it through watching Anthony Davis play internationally and like getting terrified every time he hit the floor, which is way too often. We can do this together, Lakers fans. We can make this okay. We can make it work.
Starting point is 00:17:23 So next, Andy, is the Pat Riley statue. We didn't quite get a chance to talk about it last week, but Riles is going to get his statue this year. It'll be a game against the Celtics, which obviously makes a ton of sense from a sort of pageantry standpoint, If it's going to be against any team, the Celtics make the most sense. That's really fun. Like that's very clever scheduling on the type of Lakers.
Starting point is 00:17:51 That's really, really fun. And I don't think anybody's going to argue somehow that Pat Riley doesn't deserve a statue. Like it's cool to wreck. Like they've done so many players and all that kind of to pull a coach now, I think is great. You honestly, not that I've heard any. things about Pat Riley and illness or anything like that, but he is not a young man anymore. And the horrible lesson, you know, with Kobe, you know, the one thing they did, they got the Jersey retirement and all that stuff. They didn't wait. Don't wait. If you got these things to do,
Starting point is 00:18:31 don't wait. Do them. And so Pat Riley is going to get his statue. It's going to be a great night. Yeah. Undoubtedly, it will be a lot of fun. I'm sure he will give a terrific if, as you mentioned before, on Friday, probably long speech, but I bet it's going to be really, really good. There will be, there will be people lining up to speak before this. Like, I mean, you will probably have to draw lots to get the chance to help be a part of this, because there are going to be so many people from Showtime and beyond, but in particular. They are going to have to flip the lights on and off a few times or the game might start late. I mean, look, the Showtime, the Showtime team is still very tight.
Starting point is 00:19:17 You know, we work with Michael Thompson at 710 ESPN. We've talked a lot with him about this stuff. And frankly, you just see it in the way these guys all interact with each other. When Michael Cooper just had his jersey retired, basically everybody was there. There was that awesome reunion that they all had in Hawaii that was terrific. But they all truly enjoy each other's company. I think this paves the way to Phil Jackson getting a statue. And to your point, Ryan, don't wait because Phil is also not a young man and he's had health scares.
Starting point is 00:19:55 He's had a cancer battle years ago. But he's getting up there in age. Pat Riley is 80, by the way. I'll look up how old Phil is. And for that matter, it's overdue. and were I to guess the reason it's taken, pardon? He's 79. Phil is a little older than I thought.
Starting point is 00:20:16 And, you know, it's taken a little, it's, I feel like this is overdue. And if I had to guess, it is because the Buss family may have felt like it would be perceived as gauche to own the team and give their father, Dr. Buss, a statue. Like, I think it's unnecessary to have any apprehension about that. but I understand it. But either way, now that the sale of the team has been announced and is eventually going to go through, I would not be surprised at all if pretty soon Dr. Buss has a statute, which I think we can all agree.
Starting point is 00:20:52 Well deserved. I think he earned that point. Nobody's going to argue that. And it's also really cool. It's really cool, too. And we'll talk about the idea of who comes next among Laker Legends. But the idea that the next. The idea of the plaza at Crypto.com Arena, it is as much now with all of these different
Starting point is 00:21:18 statues, and they mostly involve Lakers, but there's Wayne Gretzky, there are other, there are people connected with other sports. It's as much a museum now in front of the arena, like a museum of L.A. sports history connected to that area and to the, those teams, it's really awesome. Like it's actually, I think, a very cool feature that's very unique to LA because there are only so many cities that you could do something like this without it feeling ridiculous or forced. So we'll ask that question, though, of who is next?
Starting point is 00:21:58 Next. So at this point, Andy, everybody knows the rules. You have to be a Hall of Famer. You have to have your Jersey retired if you're a player. For the Lakers, specifically. For the Lakers, right. And so you're not getting a statue without those things. Having those things does not guarantee you getting a statue.
Starting point is 00:22:27 But those are the basic things. Like you've got to be in the Hall of Fame to get your jersey retired and you're not getting a statue without your jersey being retired. So start with that. If you're a player, you know, coaches, you got to be Pat Riley or Phil. I think that's basically, you know, Frank Vogel won a title, not getting a statue. I mean, he didn't coach here long enough for it anyway.
Starting point is 00:22:50 Nope, no, no, didn't have a chance, but that's, you know, but he's not getting a statue. I agree with you, Phil is next. I think they will be at some point a statute for Dr. Bus, which there absolutely should be. None of this that we're talking about with the Lakers at Staples Center with the, you know, the Kings and all the, like, he is at the center of all. of that stuff even again going back to the kings and stuff so um it's that's coming players I think of older players the only guy left that I think you can make an argument for is worthy and I don't know if he's quite up to a statue the big question I think people have are more
Starting point is 00:23:39 modern players. Like LeBron, especially if the Lakers happen to go to another conference final or another final or certainly if they win again, LeBron is going to have his jersey retired. Jeannie Buss has already, there's nothing to figure out. Jeannie Buss has already said that his jersey is going up in the rafters. This has been on the record. I think ultimately, I mean, AD is obviously going to the Hall of Fame. I think ultimately AD will have his jersey retired in L.A.
Starting point is 00:24:10 So do I. I'm cool, both, by the way. I don't think either one of them gets a statue, though, do you? On the merits, Anthony Davis. Maybe if LeBron wins one more in L.A. If LeBron wins another one, then I think his case starts becoming more strong, you know, especially when you start factoring in some of the records that were set as a Laker, know, the milestones passed as a member of this team, you know, passing Kareem for the all-time
Starting point is 00:24:42 scoring record. He passed Kobe as a Laker, you know, that sort of thing. And if he wins another title, like that means. Because they win a title, let's say, this season. Is he going to leave the season? I don't know. But like you're talking at that point, probably potentially even about like a 10-year run in L.A. Like, long time. Right. But for now, I mean, if I have to judge this on now, and especially if they don't win another title with LeBron. Other than, like I mentioned, some of those historic milestones and the acknowledgement of what LeBron has meant to the league and to basketball,
Starting point is 00:25:20 and I suppose perhaps some small P politics with the Clutch thing and the Lakers' future dealings with Clutch, that sort of thing, I don't think LeBron, his time as a Laker, Merrick's a statue. Like if I'm being honest, like I've said before, the, the all-time great career as a Laker that I find most comparable to LeBron's is Wiltz. They each have one title as a Laker. They each have one finals MVP as a Laker. They're both at the tail ends of their career. Like they both continue to play at high levels, but neither one of them at the true peak of their powers, like the thing that made them, them.
Starting point is 00:26:10 And other than the fact that LeBron will certainly by the end of this season have played eight with the Lakers as opposed to Wilt's five, and I guess if three extra seasons push you over the top, so be it. Wilt, I don't think would get a statue for any other reason than he's Wilt Chamberlain. I think it's very comparable with LeBron. Like the biggest reason I feel like you would give LeBron that statue. Honestly, is because he's LeBron, which, to be clear, is not an insignificant reason. But most great players, you don't get, like Michael Jordan and have a statue outside. I mean, I realize he didn't play for the team.
Starting point is 00:26:48 But to your point, just being great isn't enough. And I think, I think the case, there's a, it's a different thing. Like, in my mind, at least, like, Jersey retirement. I think a little bit, you know, Wilt has his jersey retired in part because he's Will Chamberlain.
Starting point is 00:27:08 And he played for the Lakers and he played well. I mean, don't get me wrong. You average like 20-19 rebounds a game as a Laker. But, you know, finals MVP,
Starting point is 00:27:19 the year the Lakers finally broke through in the 70s. He was, you finished third in him for MVP in the year they won the title. He finished fourth the next season. You know, he was an all-star
Starting point is 00:27:30 four times. with the Lakers and so on. The year he wasn't was a year he was hurt. And he played 82 games a year basically in four of his five seasons. And he had more, he also had more deep runs as a Laker than LeBron. So I don't have a problem with obviously Will Chamberlain having his jersey retired, but there are statues and I feel the same about LeBron.
Starting point is 00:27:56 Like LeBron's on-court accomplishments are enough that especially when, you factor in who he is. He deserves it. Like that, his statistical contribution to the Lakers is going to be really impressive by the time it's, it's all said and done, whether it's this year, the year following,
Starting point is 00:28:14 or whatever. But like to me at least, and fans might disagree. We'll see a lot in the comments because I, you know, talk about a polarizing player among Lakers fans. Statues are like about like a connection even more so. It's a deeper thing.
Starting point is 00:28:33 It's like it's a sign of of like belovedness around and like not just impact, but also, you know, how you are beloved and all that kind of stuff. And, you know, do people think of Wayne Gretzky as an oiler or a king? I don't know, but he transformed hockey in America. and obviously was incredibly impactful as a king. You look at what the, you know, the guys are in the way.
Starting point is 00:29:10 In Southern California may not exist the way we know it. It may not. You know, the Florida Panthers are like having parades every year these days. South Florida hockey is not a thing without Wayne Gretzky. Like there is some space for lifetime achievement, but that lifetime achievement needs to come with the team that is, is honoring you. And LeBron's transformative impact didn't happen with the Lakers.
Starting point is 00:29:42 And so, you know, I just, I don't, he's not thought of as L.A.'s guy or somebody who came to L.A. and did something transformative for the organization. Shaq came to L.A. and did something transformative. Kobe, obviously, and, you know, Chick and, you know, Phil Jackson's going to be there, and Pat Riley's going to be there. Jane West is transformative. Magic, Green. These are transformative players. And transformative with the Lakers, to be clear, with the Lakers.
Starting point is 00:30:20 Correct. Correct. And that's not what LeBron has been. And so I just, it's just, it feels different. And I'll be honest with you, I don't think LeBron even would disagree. Like, I don't, you know, he's. would show up to the statue unveiling but like lebron's statue belongs in cleveland that's where the lebron statue ought to be and probably will be i'd say miami as well maybe like i think the heat could
Starting point is 00:30:45 certainly do it um but like if you had to pick a place where a statue for lebron james ought to be and like it it ought to be somewhere like now that statue making for a athletes is a thing. It should be in Cleveland, in my opinion. And so I don't think, unless he has another title or two, I don't think he gets one outside crypto. In that sense, I think as as far as Laker players go, unless Worthy got decided upon one, which I think Worthy is a really interesting case, three championships, 12 years as a lifer, finals MVP in 88, the amount of time that he spent trying to convince Anthony Davis to wear goggles. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:35 And by the way, just awesome, dude. Like, just a really, really great guy. And, like, that's a great example. Who's better player, LeBron or Worthy? It's not even close. LeBron. But who's a better Laker? Who is more tied into the Laker fabric in the Laker community?
Starting point is 00:31:54 It's James Worthy. It's not even close. I mean, right down to him being a part of Spectrum Sports Nuts, broadcast team for several years and also being really, really good at that. No, fans won't, fans would not object. They might say, is he totally worth? No, but they'd show up and they'd be like awesome, James Worthy statue. People would argue about LeBron.
Starting point is 00:32:13 Before we go, something interesting that popped into my head as we were thinking about or as I was just thinking about statues at crypto.com arena, Sue Bird just got a statue with the Seattle storm. And I guess this made her the first WNBA player with the statue. I did not realize that. But it raised the question to me of whether or not Lisa Leslie should have a statue in front of crypto.com. 12 years as a Sparks lifer, including the inaugural season for the Sparks, two titles, three MVPs, four Olympic golds. She's obviously in the Hall of Fame.
Starting point is 00:32:54 She has been beyond influential in WERN. I'm in sports. She's an Angelino, you know, born and raised out here. Very, very popular. And for it, it's worth, very, very nice. We both worked with her, met her many times. And like, the sparks have played in that building for almost the majority of their existence. And I'll be honest, the thought never occurred to me before. And it probably should have. But especially, too, with, like, the WNBA now really starting to enjoy a long overdue moment and recognition, just got me thinking like Lisa Leslie has it. I feel like she has a case at the very least for that building in this city.
Starting point is 00:33:43 I would agree. I mean, she's a Hall of Famer. Her jersey is in the rafters in the building. They have the banners up for those titles that they, you know, that the sparks won. I don't see any reason not to. I mean, like, and you look around like there's a statue of Gretzky there in part because of his impact. Like there is, I mean, granted, it's. Robatai has a statue, yes?
Starting point is 00:34:12 I believe so. I, you know, the one statue most people are like, is the De La Jolla statue. But like if Oscar has that was business. That was just business. It's a business statue. It really was. It's kind of ridiculous. I think you can make a very strong argument for Lisa Leslie.
Starting point is 00:34:36 And I think that would be a cool thing. I mean, especially like you said, it's not just the fact that she did those things with the sparks, it that she is deeply, deeply ingrained in L.A. basketball. And so that's a good one. We should put that out there. Let us know who you think ought to be the next person or persons to have statues outside the crypto.com arena. Keeping in mind, too, there's still one more to come for Kobe. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:35:08 And so, like, you know, it's tough. Like, you know, it's a tough real estate to get into. Lockton Lakers on YouTube is where you can go hang out with over 36,000 subscribers to the channel. Remember, Luke is fine. We'll see you tomorrow. Thank you.

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