Luka Doncic, LeBron James headline Lakers Girl Dad Night

On a night designed to celebrate fathers and daughters, it was only fitting that two Lakers stars stole the show.

A sellout crowd of nearly 19,000 fans all got their hats on as the Lakers hosted the third annual “Girl Dad Night,” a celebration of girls in sports and great dads.

Luka Doncic, father of 2-year-old Gabriela and newborn Olivia, produced the best scoring of his Lakers career, exploding with 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Lakers’ 142-130 victory over the Bulls.

LeBron James, who returned to the lineup after missing the last three games, quietly put together another game of the past – 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. A little more than a week after bringing his daughter, Zhuri, with him on his way to San Francisco, James spent Thursday reflecting on fatherhood and the responsibility that comes with raising a daughter in a world that is constantly watching.

“The way I treat her mother. The love I have at home. Accountability,” said James when asked what is the most important lesson he teaches his daughter. “One of the biggest compliments to me and Savannah is when people say our kids have good manners and are good kids. That’s the biggest compliment we can get.”

James smiled when asked about the topic that filled the stadium.

“I love girl dads. It’s great, and I’m glad to be one,” she said, admitting her daughter “definitely softened me up a lot.”

The Lakers are launching Girl Dad Night in March 2024 during Women’s History Month as a way to honor Kobe Bryant and former owner Jerry Buss, the most famous girl dads in franchise history. Bryant’s love for his daughters — and especially Gianna’s basketball dreams — helped reshape the way sports culture celebrates girls and the fathers they raise.

Thursday’s game felt like an extension of that legacy.

Fathers and daughters were seen throughout the night. Game manager Ray A. Castillo shared the spotlight with his daughters, Alexis and Hayley. The national anthem was performed by father-daughter duo Matt and Savanna, and the Laker Girls even danced at halftime with their father.

In recent weeks, the Lakers have welcomed father-daughter pairs from local nonprofits to their practice facility for a basketball clinic and empowerment workshop — surprising them with tickets to Thursday’s game.

Below are more photos of the fathers of the Lakers girl.

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