Luka Doncic Speaks About Michael Jordan’s Influence on Him While Discussing Upcoming Luka 5s

Luka Doncic has had big aspirations for the 2025-26 NBA season. While his main goal has been to capture an NBA championship, the Slovenian star has also simultaneously looked to expand is business ventures, like signing a partnership with the Jordan Brand.

In 2019, when Doncic was surveying the sneaker apparel landscape, he had many suitors at his disposal. Nike, Adidas, you name it, hoped to sign the young European star. Doncic, however, would go on to choose Jordan Brand over the rest of the competitors, making him the first European athlete on the brand.

The Lakers guard is now on the precipice of releasing the fifth shoe in his signature line. The Luka 5s will release to the masses on January 8, 2026 and Doncic has begun his brief press tour to promote the sneaker.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Doncic provided more insight regarding the construction of the shoe. In that same conversation, he also shed light on the influence the company’s founder, Michael Jordan, has had on him as a player.

“I grew up idolizing MJ,” Doncic said. “I idolized the way he played, his competitiveness.”

Doncic has quickly ascended to one of the fiercest competitors the league has to offer. His comments certainly correlate to his competitive fire, since he is always looking to win, just like Jordan did during his playing days. “It’s about keeping that winning mindset in everything I do,” he said.

The Luka 5s are unlike any other shoe the Lakers star has released, and not just in term of aesthetics.

“The Luka 5 is built for how I play. Quick changes of pace, cutting at different angles, and keeping my balance everywhere on the court,” Doncic revealed.

As great an athlete as Doncic is, having the right sneaker on is imperative to his on-court performance. The first four shoes of the sneaker line have definitely done the job. His statistics back up that claim. If this newest addition to the line is as great as Doncic claims, the rest of the league may be in for a very long season.