Luka Doncic reveals his retirement dream that takes him all the way back to Real Madrid

The Los Angeles Lakers rely on Luka Doncic for their championship aspirations, yet few are aware of his strong ties to another team. In an insightful interview with the Wall Street Journal, Doncic revealed a dream that transcends NBA achievements, hinting at a future that could take him back to where his basketball journey first started.

Real Madrid played a great role in Luka Doncic’s starting years

In a profile released on September 16, 2025, by The Wall Street Journal, Doncic chatted with journalist Jason Gay regarding his future. When questioned about the possibility of going back to Real Madrid to retire, Doncic replied, "For sure. They raised me.".

They discussed his adaptation to the new team, his physical condition, and his attitude towards his European heritage.The remarks made by Luka Doncic, concerning Real Madrid, appeared in a talk that remembered about getting the building blocks of his career and the importance this club had on his formative years.

Luka Doncic became the youngest player on Real Madrid senior roster

Luka Doncic joined the youth ranks of Real Madrid at the age of 13 in 2012. He made his senior team debut in the Liga ACB in 2015 when he was only 16 years old, which made him the youngest player on the roster at that time.During his time with the team, he made a huge impact on their success, including playing a vital role in Real Madrid's victory in the 2018 EuroLeague Championship. His remarkable contributions in that tournament led to him being awarded the EuroLeague MVP of the Final Four.

His time in Europe helped him develop the skills that launched him into NBA stardom. In 2024, while still coaching Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd mentioned in interviews that Doncic's time with Real Madrid laid the groundwork for his professional success.

In a May 2024 interview with The New York Times, Kidd praised Doncic and his unique perspective and approach and in part due to his work experience in Madrid when he was young much of his usefulness.

In addition, Kidd discussed the involvement of Real Madrid to motivate Doncic in his brief stay with the Mavericks in a May 2024 article by Marca.

Luka Doncic remains focused on winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers

Although Doncic has had a long-standing wish to return to Real Madrid, he is dedicated to his present ambitions with the Lakers. As per ESPN, "He stresses every single day that his goal is to win a championship. He trusts the front office to do their part, and he trusts what they’re building."

This shows he's concentrating on the 2025-26 season ahead, which will be his first complete year with the team.To strengthen their lineup, the Lakers brought in a few important players during the 2025 offseason. They inked center DeAndre Ayton to a two-year, $16,208,000 contract, forward Jake LaRavia to a two-year, $12,000,000 deal, and guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $10,524,700 agreement, as noted in Hoops Rumors' NBA 2025 offseason recap on September 7, 2025.These trades were also verified in ESPN's free agency tracker on September 9, 2025, along with the Lakers' official transaction log.The goal of these acquisitions is to boost the team's depth and back Doncic's quest for a championship.Also Read: “You haven’t done sh*t in the playoffs” — Patrick Beverley calls out Trae Young again and Atlanta Hawks for empty stats and no real successLuka Doncic still has a ways to go and though he is fully focused on achieving NBA greatness with the Los Angeles Lakers, it is unquestionable that a piece of Real Madrid is left behind so that his future is ambition and nostalgia at the same time.