Dončić says he regrets playing through hamstring injury

Luka Dončić says he definitely regrets playing through a hamstring injury that ended his season, according to an interview with Sports Illustrated. The Los Angeles Lakers star admitted he should have left the court earlier in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.

Dončić heads into the 2026-27 NBA season as the lone star in Los Angeles after LeBron James started a new chapter with the Philadelphia 76ers. Before the two parted ways, many believed the Lakers would add another Larry O'Brien Trophy to their collection, but that did not happen. Dončić believes last season could have been different if he had not played through the pain.

The Lakers owned a 16-2 record in a stretch where they looked unstoppable before facing the reigning NBA champion Thunder. The game served as a litmus test for Dončić, who was playing at an MVP level. The Thunder defeated the Lakers 139-96. During the second quarter, Dončić felt a hamstring tweak. Instead of leaving the game as it got out of hand, he pushed harder.

In the second half, Dončić began grabbing at his hamstring and was eventually taken out of the game. The decision resulted in a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The injury forced him to miss the final five games of the regular season and the entire postseason for Los Angeles.

Dončić described his competitive nature as stubborn and stated that he realized during the first half he should have stopped playing. He noted that he believed the team was capable of competing for the championship and expressed clear regret over his decision to stay on the court.

This was the first time since suffering the injury that Dončić admitted he wishes he had done things differently. James, who had been the third offensive option on the Lakers when everyone was healthy alongside Austin Reaves, had to find a different gear in the playoffs with Dončić out. James led the team past the Houston Rockets, but the Thunder were too much for Los Angeles again in the second round.

It remains unknown whether the Lakers would have gone all the way instead of the San Antonio Spurs to take on the New York Knicks in the Finals had Dončić been healthy.