Some of the best players in NBA history have donned a Lakers jersey. From Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West to Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, countless stars have called themselves a Laker at some point in their careers, to varying degrees of success. Yet, unlike most other teams around the league, the fans aren’t always receptive to those who join the club.

As the current Lakers superstar, one might think Luka Doncic is still working to earn the fans’ favor, but it seems he’s already been fully embraced as the face of the franchise, and it’s not by accident. In a recent chat with the media, Doncic’s teammate and co-star, Austin Reaves, explained why his Slovenian teammate has won over the fans so quickly, especially compared to LeBron James.

“I think with the Bron situation it was a little different just because Bron and Kobe were battling for the best player in the NBA for multiple years, so Lakers fans at the time probably hated LeBron,” Reaves told the California Post. “Not that they didn’t accept him when he was here, but they still probably had the ‘Kobe is better’ type of mentality. But they don’t have that with Luka. He was kind of after Kobe. They don’t have a reason not to embrace him like a Kobe or someone else who was a Laker legend.”

When LeBron initially joined the Lakers in 2018, many fans weren’t sure what to think. As one of the game’s most respected and accomplished legends, nobody could outright knock the move at the time, but that doesn’t mean it was widely celebrated. While many Lakers fans did like the addition, many of them condemned it, claiming that James would never be a true Laker.

This reaction only came after over a decade of greatness from James, which put him up against the Lakers many times. In fact, he often clashed with the late Kobe Bryant, the franchise superstar and legend adored by the fans. So, when LeBron joined the team years later, many of those same fans continued to hold a grudge.

LeBron was eventually accepted as a Laker, but he learned a valuable lesson about how stubborn and passionate their fans can be. That’s why there was uncertainty about how Luka Doncic would be received. To fill LeBron’s shoes is no easy task, and his arrival cost them Anthony Davis, who played a big role in their 2020 title run.

The difference with Luka is that he hasn’t had the time to make an enemy out of Lakers fans. While he has played and beaten them before, he doesn’t have over a decade of history attached to his name. He joined the Lakers with a relatively clean slate, and early enough that his legacy could forever be tied to the franchise.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Doncic should lose any sense of urgency. With nothing to show for his LA tenure so far, the fans expect results, and failure to deliver could start to turn people against him. Fortunately, he’s never been more committed to the title pursuit, seemingly determined to prove himself as the next Laker great.