LOS ANGELES -- Before the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off Monday night and Luka Doncic made his debut for the franchise that traded for him and then waited, along with a fervent fanbase, more than a week for the 25-year-old basketball prodigy to appear in the lineup, LeBron James had a message to deliver.
"Luka, be your f---ing self," James said during the pregame huddle, picked up by the ESPN telecast. "Don't fit in, fit the f--- out. Be yourself."
When asked about the moment, having booked a 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz his first time wearing the purple and gold uniform for game action, Doncic was sincere.