With the festivities of Luka Doncic’s own minicamp taking place in his home country of Slovenia for his Los Angeles Lakers teammates, it appears he made sure they were as comfortable as possible during their flight.
Doncic reportedly spent at minimum $18,000 per hour for the team to fly on a luxurious Bombardier Global 8000 jet for their 13-hour journey across the world, per the Slovenian outlet 24ur.com.
It’s expected that the total cost for the flight adds up to half a million dollars — All of which came out of Doncic’s pocket.
Images of the flight showed that the 14 Lakers players who came on the trip had a lounge area to enjoy, individual bedrooms that included beds, couches, recliner chairs, and TVs.
Once the Lakers arrived, basketball fans were gathering outside the hotel the team is staying at and were welcoming them, as Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Bronny James were among the players spotted checking in.
Fans were lined up in front of a fence that was heavily guarded by security and were seen holding cameras to take pictures and record videos, and were also holding photos of the players.
After the team arrived, Doncic went to visit his teammates and was joined by his daughter Gabriela.
While this week’s minicamp will be a work trip, Doncic also intends for it to be a team bonding experience, as the Lakers players are expected to spend the week working out, playing pick-up games, golfing, and exploring Slovenia.
With LeBron James no longer a member of the Lakers, the team is set to be all hands on deck in having Doncic as the main guy on the roster.
Over the offseason, the team went all in on Doncic, re-signing Reaves to a massive four-year, $185 million contract.
The team also granted Doncic’s wish by acquiring a big man when they made a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz for Kessler, giving him a 4-year, $130 million contract.
President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka also addressed other holes on the roster by acquiring Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, and Matisse Thybulle as insurance pieces.
