Bronny James reflected positively on the Lakers’ five-day minicamp in Slovenia, crediting Luka Doncic with helping the team experience his home country beyond basketball.
Speaking on ESPN LA 710 last week, James said Doncic guided the Lakers toward the best parts of Slovenia during the Aug. 20-24 trip to Ljubljana.
“We were with [Doncic]. He was hooking us up and getting us in the right places in Slovenia, seeing the most out of the country,” James said, via New York Post.
The trip included basketball work at Stozice Arena, but the Lakers also spent significant time sightseeing and participating in activities away from the court. The team visited Lake Bled, played golf, went fishing and toured the basketball courts where Doncic grew up.
James said the country made a strong impression on him, particularly Ljubljana and the scenery around Lake Bled.
“[Slovenia is] great… The city [of Ljubljana] was great, we had the castle that was close to us. And then we went to Lake Bled, which was great. The castle there, and then we played the [golf] course over there near Bled,” James said.
“I wanna go back to go to the Alps and stuff like that. The scenery and everything was great.”
Doncic hosted 16 of his 17 non-rookie-or-ineligible teammates, with rookie Cameron Carr remaining in the United States for mandatory NBA rookie orientation. The Lakers also held a team dinner and a two-hour practice at Stozice Arena during the trip.
Veteran center Kevon Looney, who joined the Lakers on a one-year, $3.9 million contract this offseason, said the experience gave him a different perspective on Doncic and his leadership.
“That just shows his character, shows that he really wants to win. He wants the people to know his background and why he is how he is. And I think he did a good job of that,” Looney said.
Doncic enters his second full season with the Lakers after producing one of the strongest statistical seasons of his career in 2025-26. He averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 64 games while shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three-point range.
The performance earned Doncic fourth place in MVP voting, an All-NBA First Team selection and an All-Star appearance. The Lakers finished 53-29 before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
Los Angeles subsequently reshaped its roster around Doncic and Austin Reaves following LeBron James’ departure to Philadelphia. Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 51 games last season before signing a four-year, $180 million extension.
The Lakers also acquired Walker Kessler from Utah and added Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams during the offseason. Bronny James, meanwhile, enters his third NBA season after averaging 2.9 points, 1.2 assists and 0.5 rebounds in 42 games as a sophomore.
