The FIFA World Cup kicks off in a few days, and Kylian Mbappe is right in the middle of all the buildup as France’s captain. But before the tournament gets going, he sat down with Bleacher Report and shared his top five NBA players, and two of them are Lakers.
His list: Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant. For a Lakers fan, seeing two of your guys on that list from one of the most famous athletes in the world is a pretty good feeling, even after a tough end to the season.
The Luka pick makes a lot of sense. Both of them have a Real Madrid connection, with Luka having played for the basketball club there and Mbappe currently at the football side. On the court, Luka led the entire NBA in scoring this season at 33.5 points per game, while also averaging 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He was in the middle of his best stretch of the year when things went wrong.
Then April 2 happened. Luka suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain and missed the final stretch of the regular season and every single playoff game. He even flew to Spain for specialized treatment, trying to get back, but it never happened. The Lakers still beat Houston in the first round, then ran into Oklahoma City and got swept in four games.
LeBron kept that team alive in the playoffs at 41 years old. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists across 60 regular-season games, his 22nd in the league. Without Luka, he was the guy, and he showed he still had plenty left.
What Comes Next for the Los Angeles Lakers After a Painful Playoff Exit
Now the Lakers head into a big offseason. LeBron is an unrestricted free agent, which is the biggest question hanging over the franchise right now. The Lakers have said publicly they want him back, but nothing is done yet.
Luka, at least, is locked in. He signed a two-year extension last August that keeps him in LA through 2027-28. He will spend this offseason recovering and should come back fully healthy for next season.
Mbappe picking two Lakers says more about where these two players stand globally than any trophy could. The hard part now is figuring out what this team looks like next season, and whether LeBron is still part of it.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on YouTube, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
