Austin Reaves is already talking trash about Luka Doncic’s minicamp in Slovenia, and he’s doing it with a grin.
Doncic will host the gathering from Aug. 20 to Aug. 24, and nearly all of his Lakers teammates are expected to be there. Reaves is one of them, though he’s currently in the middle of his annual China tour. While in Hong Kong, he was asked about the trip and didn’t waste any time getting to the fun part.
“I’m feeling great,” Reaves said, via 852 Sports Entertainment. “I’m going to kick his a** in golf.
So, that’ll be a lot of fun, but it’ll just be good to get around everybody. We got a fairly new team, a lot of new guys.
So it’ll just be good to be around them, get to know one another off the court, and just build that chemistry there.”
Golf is part of the plan in Slovenia, and Reaves clearly expects to have the upper hand. He’s one of the better golfers in the NBA, and he’s betting on himself against Doncic.
Doncic, meanwhile, has gotten hooked on golf thanks to Reaves and his former teammate LeBron James, but he only started playing in March. That gives Reaves a pretty comfortable head start.
The confidence isn’t limited to the golf course, either. Reaves says he has beaten Doncic in every sport they’ve played except one, and that one, of course, is basketball.
That’s the matchup that matters most, and Doncic is coming off a monster season. The six-time All-Star averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2025-26. He won the scoring title for 2026 and finished fourth in MVP voting.
Reaves had a huge year of his own, putting up 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26. The Lakers rewarded him with a four-year, $180 million contract this summer.
With James gone, the Lakers have clearly moved into the Doncic-Reaves era, and the front office has reshaped the roster around them. The team added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams, and Matisse Thybulle.
That makes this minicamp more than just a getaway. It’s a chance for a group with a lot of new pieces to start building something before training camp even opens. Along with golf and workouts, Doncic has planned sightseeing in Ljubljana and team-bonding exercises.
He’s embraced the leadership side of the job, too, and made it clear he’s excited to host his new teammates.
“I can’t wait for my teammates to come to Ljubljana,” Doncic wrote. “I’m looking forward to the time together and excited to show them where I’m from.
Grateful every day for all your support. Hope you’re having a great summer.
See you soon.”
One Lakers rookie won’t be making the trip. Cameron Carr has a conflict with an official NBA rookie orientation, so he’ll have to sit this one out.
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