“I heard a lot of noise when I was introduced – it was a special moment,” the Dallas blue-eyed boy said on his Lakers debut. And it truly was. Luka Doncic didn’t just put on a show—he helped the Lakers secure their sixth straight win. The entire NBA community was waiting for this day, more so because it was one of the most controversial trades in recent years. But no matter where you come from, it is always a pride to play for one of the most successful teams in the NBA. But how did the stars of the game react?

Doncic’s Lakers debut was so big that even Dirk Nowitzki, who usually only attends Dallas games, was in the crowd to support his ‘guy 77.’ And he wasn’t the only star in the house. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Adele, Rich Paul, and Will Ferrell all showed up to witness history. But there was more than just showing up in the stands. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him. Because ‘these’ former players can’t!

Right away, Jamal Crawford knew what was coming. “Two possessions in, I can already tell, playing with Luka will give Bron another source of energy!” he posted on X. And guess what? He wasn’t the only one! Kendrick Perkins, who had been hyping up a potential LeBron-Luka duo for a while, wasted no time in doubling down. Ah, he seems to be the most excited among the lot. He shared an old First Take clip where he predicted they could play together and added, “This was just an appetizer. Luka and Bron will work!!!” Wait until you hear what this Laker legend had to say.

Meanwhile, the Lakers’ very own Magic Johnson didn’t wait for the game to tip off to express his excitement. Hours before Doncic’s debut, he set the stage on X: “I’m truly excited to see Luka play in his first game with the Lakers against the Jazz. LA is buzzing and Crypto is the place to be tonight!” And judging by the energy in the arena, he wasn’t wrong.

Skip Bayless also had plenty to say about the night. “LUKA JUST MADE A 3 AND YOU’D HAVE THOUGHT IT WON GAME 7 OF THE FINALS,” he tweeted. But what caught his attention was LeBron’s energy. “So far, so great. In their first quarter together, LeBron actually COMPETED with Luka – anything you can do, I can do better. So far, LeBron has OUTPLAYED Luka. But it’s very early.”

So, did Luka live up to the hype?

Luka Doncic’s Lakers debut: A night to remember

Luka Doncic’s first night in purple and gold was nothing short of electric. Stepping onto the court alongside LeBron James, he was the last to be introduced. The Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers’ den, erupted in applause. “I was a little bit nervous before the game, but once I stepped on to the court it was fun. Just being out there again felt amazing,” he shared post-game.

Despite missing weeks with a calf injury, Doncic wasted no time making his presence felt. In his Lakers debut against the Utah Jazz, he put up 14 points while helping his team secure a commanding 132-113 win. He may not have shot the ball particularly well—just 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-7 from deep—but with five rebounds and four assists in only 24 minutes, he showed glimpses of the brilliance that made him one of the league’s biggest stars.

Interestingly, this was the Slovenian star’s first game since Christmas due to his left calf strain. But even with the time off, he’s been putting up MVP-caliber numbers this season. He has been averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists this season. With one game down, all eyes are on what the new LeBron-Luka duo has for fans.