Marcus Smart Reveals Who Recruited Him to Join the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers made plenty of moves this off-season, and now, they head into the 2025-26 campaign with hopes of an NBA Championship behind this new look squad. One of those new pieces is former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who the team believe can play a crucial role in their backcourt this season as they look to up their defensive game.

Now, Smart has opened up on the process that brought him to Los Angeles, revealing his shock when his agent told him it was Luka Doncic that called to recruit him to the Lakers.

“When my agent told me Luka called him and was very interested, I didn’t believe him at first. I’m not gonna lie. I’m like, ‘You’re joking. I’m a jokester, so you probably get me back for something.’ And he’s like, ‘No, I’m serious. We really need to sit down and we need to talk. This is going to happen. This is real.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh wow.’”

Clearly, Smart wasn't in a position to expect a chance to play for the Lakers, but when the opportunity became real, he made it known that this is the place he wanted to be as he pursues an NBA Championship. 

Last season, Smart took a step back from the star he once was in Boston, but clearly he can still play a role, and with the Lakers likely to start him off the bench, he'll be a key piece of their second unit as they continue their chase for another title.