Luka Dončić is bringing out the best in Austin Reaves on the court, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to admit their budding friendship off it publicly.
Dončić spoke to Spectrum SportsNet sideline reporter Mike Trudell after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 140-126 win over the Utah Jazz during LeBron James’ season debut. And during the postgame interview, Reaves interrupted the spot with a pat on the back for Dončić before adding, “Good job, friend.”
The kind gesture prompted Trudell to make sure Dončić agreed with Reaves’ assessment of their relationship, asking, “You’re friends, right?”
Austin Reaves: “Good job, friend.”
Luka Doncic: “He wants to be friends but I’m not allowing it.”
Reporter: “What can he do to be your friend?”
Luka: “Nothing. There’s nothing he can do.” 😭 pic.twitter.com/gXYvVJX0PQ
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) November 19, 2025
“He wants to be my friend,” Dončić said with a serious look on his face. “But I’m not allowing it.”
If averaging nearly 30 points a game while LeBron was sidelined with sciatica wasn’t enough to earn Dončić’s friendship, Trudell wanted to know what Reaves could do to win the Lakers star over.
“Nothing,” Dončić said. “He can’t do nothing.”
Despite being rejected during the postgame interview, Reaves has already done enough to earn Dončić’s friendship by most accounts. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin described their relationship as a “bromance” in a feature earlier this month, with Dončić and Reaves known to tease and joke with each other. And now it’s up to LeBron James to fit into that bromance as much as he needs to fit alongside Dončić and Reaves on the court for the Lakers.
We just need James and Dončic to have a similar postgame interview interaction. As LeBron’s relationship with the Lakers is already in question, one can only imagine the headlines if Dončić had the gall to reject a friendship offer from King James.
