The defining theme of this offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers has been the transition from a LeBron team to a Luka Dončić team. There have been rumblings about the front office changing their focus and timeline. And Dončić has been on a PR tour, showing off his new body in Men's Health and everywhere else he could find a camera. Dropping absurd statlines at EuroBasket and even playing some eyebrow-raising defense.
And he's still been finding time to get out there on social media, interacting with his teammates and building rapport.
Dončić is a high-volume shooter, not necessarily a highly accurate one, but this is an absolute bullseye.
Luka Dončić is right, Austin Reaves needs a haircut
While Dončić was getting svelte this summer, Reaves was apparently dodging Supercuts. He usually keeps a pretty clean fade, but his hair looking downright puffy now. It would be one thing if it wasn't a conscious style decision — but that length and shapelessness isn't something anyone would choose. It's the look of a man who has been too busy to schedule a trim.
Trust me, I am not in a position to hair shame anyone. But, unlike Reaves, I won't be playing 34 games on national television this season. I won't be featured in promotional materials for the most famous basketball team on earth and I don't have endorsement deals with a car company like Lexus, or energy drink, footwear and sports betting brands. At some level, living live as a professional athlete with a Michael Cera-do has to have some real-world consequences.
And we all know that delayed cuts and unkempt hair are any mother's nightmare.
*Mom’s Nightmare*
— Alec Sulkin (@thesulk) September 15, 2025
Mom: Hello, doctor!
Doc: Hello.
Mom: I hear my son was in to see you.
Doc: Yes and I’m afraid I have some bad news. His hair was unkempt.
Mom: Oh dear…
Doc: Frankly, I found it disrespectful.
Mom: (sobbing) He’s so creative!!
Luka Dončić isn't trying to control his teammate, he's displaying leadership. He's helping Reaves protect his image, and he's looking out for all the other mothers out there. My mom agrees, he needs a haircut. Your mom agrees. Your grandma definitely agrees. Reaves' mom, who was an All-Conference forward at Arkansas State, is probably sitting in her breakfast nook penning Dončić a handwritten thank-you note as we speak. (And another card to Austin, with a crisp $20 bill inside, telling him to schedule a trim as soon as possible).