It didn’t take long for Luka Doncic to make headlines this preseason. While he did play extremely well against the Kings, it wasn’t his game that caught the eyes of fans. It was a heated showdown with Dennis Schroder in the team’s final tune-up before the regular season begins.
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Doncic and Schroder have hugely different statuses in the NBA. One’s a potential MVP, and one of the faces of the league. The other has largely been a solid starter/sixth man; a journeyman of sorts. But back in Europe, where they’re from, Doncic and Schroder are both superstars.
They’ve locked horns as recently as the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket quarterfinals, where Schroder got the last laugh, as Germany went on to defeat Slovenia and ultimately win the tournament. So, was this verbal battle just Doncic being salty when his Lakers met the Kings on Friday night?
Schroder and Doncic could be seen chirping as early as the first quarter, with Schroder seemingly trash-talking, and Doncic scornfully laughing it off. “I’m not fu***** with you,” the Lakers man stated following his altercation.
Schroder isn’t known to be too feisty on the court. He’s a reliable guard, who more often than not, despite his lack of star reputation in the NBA, gets the job done. In fact, he’s slated to be the starting PG for the Kings. Doncic on the other hand, loves to talk smack while playing ball. It’s a habit he’s picked up after moving to America in 2018.
In Europe, Doncic didn’t see too much trash-talking while winning titles with Real Madrid. In an earlier interview, he said, “I think in the NBA it’s way more than in Europe. When I was a kid I didn’t trash talk in Europe, I was still a kid, I didn’t. It’s just way more in the NBA for sure, anybody talks.”
So, in addition to getting better as a plyer, Doncic has also become one of the best trash-talkers in the league today. And usually, he backs it up with his performances which have made him, also, one of the best in the NBA.
Sadly for him — although it doesn’t count for much other than bragging rights — Schroder, once again, got the last laugh following their heated exchange. The Kings defeated the Lakers 117-116 despite Doncic 31 points on 8-16 shooting from the field.
Set up a playoff bout between these two teams and then let’s let Schroder and Doncic fight with their skills and mouth. That ought to be fun.
