It’s playoff time, and the Lakers are finally starting to look like they might have it together—well, kind of. But before fans could even process the full injury report, a leaked practice video of Luka Doncic hit the internet, and suddenly, all anyone can talk about is a certain throwback accessory. Yes, ‘Headband Luka’ is back! And if history repeats itself, the rest of the West might be in trouble. Let’s, however, start with the big news from practice.

Head coach JJ Redick told reporters that everyone was a full participant. Yep, that includes Maxi Kleber—who’s been recovering from a right foot fracture since January—and, of course, LeBron James, who’s had us all nervously Googling “groin strain recovery time” for a month now.

As of April 16, LeBron’s officially good to go. He tweaked his groin again during the April 11 game vs. Houston, but Redick assured everyone post-game that there was no re-injury. And LeBron even sat out the final regular-season game just to be safe. So, mission accomplished: he’s rested, cleared, and ready to roll for the Timberwolves series.

Then there’s Maxi Kleber. Yep, remember him? After getting traded from Dallas in the massive Luka-AD deal, it’s been mostly ghost-town updates. But now? He’s back running, shooting, and doing non-contact work. Redick didn’t say he’d play Game 1, but having him on the floor at all is a step forward for the Lakers’ very questionable frontcourt depth.

The Lakers locked up the third seed, and this is as healthy as they’ve looked in weeks. But of course, that’s not what the internet is talking about today. In the middle of that leaked practice video? Luka Doncic. With a headband. Just casually out here, reigniting an entire era of dominance.

And now? The headband is back. And so are the vibes.

“Headband Luka” has entered the chat, and Lakers fans are losing it

Naturally, the second the clip dropped, NBA Twitter (Threads, TikTok, and Reddit) lost its mind. It wasn’t just the headband. It was what the headband represents—Playoff Luka, killer Luka, one-man-wrecking-crew Luka.

Here’s the fan reaction storm, starting with that glorious reappearance: “Headband Luka.” Well, if we’re talking about that headband moment, let’s rewind to December 6, 2023. Luka first donned the headband during a game against the Utah Jazz. What happened next? Only history.

Luka became the first player to record a triple-double in the first half—29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Now, we could totally say the headband was magic, but Luka’s response? “Everybody said (the triple-double) was the headband… I say it’s me.” Humble and super efficient.

“Feels like Rui and Luka will get along very well 😭” Rui Hachimura and Luka Doncic? Yeah, they’ve got a thing going. Off the court, they’re practically attached at the hip, with Rui excited about their shared experiences and mutual respect. And on the court?

Oh boy, when these two get rolling, expect chaos!And Luka? Well, let’s say he’s going to make sure Rui looks good out there. It’s a dangerous combo.

“Headband Luka Headband Reaves .” Now, let’s talk about Austin Reaves. This dude also rocks a headband now. His first official headband moment came on December 13, 2024, following a pelvic contusion. The man said, “Why not?” and hasn’t looked back. Turns out, the headband is not just a fashion statement but an actual performance booster. Since Reaves joined the headband club, he’s been stepping up huge for the Lakers.

“Headband Luka for the playoffs? ” The ultimate question: Will Luka bring his headband to the playoffs? He hasn’t yet—this look has stayed strictly regular season. But now that the anticipation is real, fans are hoping Luka brings the heat to the postseason. Can you imagine? Luka donning the headband for some high-stakes playoff basketball? Fans would combust.

So here we are—Luka Doncic is healthy, wearing his lucky headband again, and fans are already mentally photoshopping him holding the Larry O’Brien trophy. Meanwhile, JJ Redick has the Lakers fully loaded heading into the postseason, including Maxi Kleber’s surprise comeback. It’s headbands, it’s health, it’s playoff basketball.

And if you’re betting against ‘Headband Luka,’ good luck with that!