Lakers' Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves Recall What Helped Spark Friendship on Video

Los Angeles Lakers teammates Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have a unique friendship where they routinely make fun of one another in jest, something that's been apparent during numerous interviews.

On Wednesday, an interview featuring Dončić and Reaves in the same room (but at different times) dropped in advance of the Lakers' Christmas Day home game against the Houston Rockets, and that chemistry was apparent yet again.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin asked both what their relationship was like off the court.

"I don't know, it's a lot of everything. It's a lot of trash-talking, lot of fun, lot of jokes," Dončić said.

"Chaotic," Reaves said with a smile.

McMenamin asked Reaves what Dončić was like when the five-time All-NBA guard arrived via trade from the Dallas Mavericks last February.

"We actually was joking about it on the plane the other day," Reaves recalled. "[LeBron James] said he acted like I acted my rookie year. Never talked, kind of just stayed to himself."

"I think it was when he signed the [three-year, $165 million extension] and then they went to Vegas for Backstreet Boys. Everybody was invited but I was in China at the time. I had posted his extension and he slid up on it and said thanks for coming to Vegas."

Dončić stated: "I said he's too big, he's signing shoes now in China."

It was all in good fun, as Reaves noted: "The joking spirit that he had, I could tell at that moment that we were going to have a good relationship."

The Lakers are faring well with a 19-9 record, good enough for fourth in the Western Conference. Dončić is playing like an MVP with 34.1 points, 8.8 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Reaves appears well on his way toward the All-Star Game, posting 27.3 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds per outing.

Those two and James will look to lead the Lakers to win No. 20 at 8 p.m. ET versus Houston in Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day.