That Didn’t Take Long—Luka Doncic Gets First Mural in LA
The NBA’s hottest franchise piece dons the purple-and-gold as Luka Dončić is now a Laker. Since arriving at Tinseltown a day following the blockbuster trade, Los Angeles’ Laker Nation greeted the 25-year-old All-Star with open arms, putting up installations celebrating his newfound relationship with the city.
Los Angeles-based artist Arutyun Gozukuchikyan (ArToon) celebrated the Lakers’ newest acquisition with a street mural depicting Dončić’s encounter with the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant. During a matchup against the visiting Dallas Mavericks, Bryant reportedly heckled the Slovenian guard-forward in his native language from the sidelines, grabbing Dončić’s attention. To his surprise, it was the Laker legend as the pair shared a moment mid-game.
As one of Dončić’s highlights with the local legend, ArToon shared the inspiration behind the design, hoping to welcome their newest cager.
“Kobe is our legend and he was LA (Los Angeles). I’ve done a lot of murals of Kobe. I respect him, I love him, and I’m a big fan. I thought it was very fitting to have Kobe welcome Luka through an image,” ArToon mentioned to NBC Los Angeles.
ArToon’s Luka Dončić-Kobe Bryant mural can be located at 8251 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles.
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