Shortly after Luka Doncic completed together with his first media session on the Lakers’ follow facility Tuesday, Kings captain Anze Kopitar was surrounded by reporters at his workforce’s coaching heart a couple of half-mile away.
Kopitar, the one Slovenian to win hockey’s Stanley Cup, and Doncic, the one Slovenian named the NBA’s rookie of the yr, have been born simply 38 miles aside and stay their nation’s hottest and achieved skilled athletes. And although they talked on the cellphone occassionally and reportedly stored tabs on each other, they didn’t meet in particular person till 2019, when Doncic, then a rookie, got here out to see Kopitar and the Kings beat the Dallas Stars. Afterward, they exchanged jerseys and posed for footage.
Kopitar stated he realized of the commerce on social media throughout his workforce’s flight dwelling from Carolina final week.
“We’ve talked a little bit bit, however he’s bought quite a lot of stuff on the go,” Kopitar stated. “So we’re going to let the mud settle after which get an acclimated and all that stuff and join.”
Kopitar stated his 8-year-old son Jakob is a giant fan of Doncic so he expects he’ll be pressured into attending just a few extra Lakers video games now. As for sharing housing tips about Southern California, the place he’s lived for 18 years, Kopitar stated he’s certain Doncic has all the assistance he wants.
“He’s sufficiently old. He’s going to need to choose wherever he desires to be,” he stated. “But when he desires recommendation, I’ll be there to assist.”