LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers might be serious about chasing a championship in 2026, but the vibes in the locker room prove they are having plenty of fun along the way. Following Monday night’s dominant 129-118 revenge victory over the Chicago Bulls, the biggest highlight wasn’t Luka Dončić’s 46 points or LeBron James’ leadership—it was a post-game debate about dunking ability that had the whole squad laughing.
The catalyst? A flashy fourth-quarter fastbreak by Lakers center Jaxson Hayes. With the game already in hand, Hayes took off in transition and threw down a “East Bay” between-the-legs dunk that brought the Crypto.com Arena crowd to its feet.
While the fans loved it, Hayes’ teammates were a little harder to impress.
The Roast: “It Was Alright”
Reporters caught up with Lakers forward Jake LaRavia in the locker room to ask about the highlight reel play. LaRavia, keeping the team’s signature banter alive, refused to give Hayes full credit.
“He didn’t get that high, but it was alright,” LaRavia joked to the media scrum. He didn’t stop there, adding a little salt to the wound by claiming that Indiana’s Obi Toppin is the only player in the league who actually makes that dunk look good.
It was a classic case of teammates keeping each other humble—until the team’s superstar decided to insert himself into the conversation.
Luka Enters the Chat
Luka Dončić, who was sitting nearby icing his knees after his masterclass performance, overheard LaRavia downplaying the difficulty of the move. Never one to let a challenge slide, Luka interrupted the interview with a bold claim.
“I did it when I was a teen… I have a video!” Luka shouted across the locker room.
The room erupted. It’s hard to imagine the ground-bound, methodical Luka Dončić—known more for his “Luka Magic” step-backs and elite passing than his vertical leap—flying through the air for a between-the-legs jam. LaRavia looked skeptical. The reporters laughed.
But as it turns out, Luka wasn’t bluffing.
The Receipts: Luka at 13
NBA Twitter (and the Lakers’ beat writers) move fast. Within minutes of the quote going viral, the “video” Luka referenced resurfaced online. The footage, grainy but undeniable, shows a 13-year-old Luka Dončić in a youth league warm-up line. He drives, leaps, passes the ball between his legs, and flushes it with ease.
While he might not be winning the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest anytime soon, “Teen Luka” definitely had bounce. The resurfaced clip validated his trash talk and shut down the doubts from LaRavia and Hayes.
Chemistry on 100
Moments like this highlight why this 2025-26 Lakers team feels different. In previous seasons, road trips and high-pressure expectations often led to tension. This year, with Luka Dončić fully integrated alongside LeBron James, the chemistry is effortless.
They are winning big games on the floor—exorcising their demons against the Bulls—and roasting each other off the floor. If Luka is feeling loose enough to brag about his teenage dunking mixtape, the rest of the league should be worried.
