VIDEO SHOWS: LAKERS FANS AND MERCHANDISE OUTSIDE CRYPTO.COM ARENA / SOUNDBITES FROM FANS SHOWS: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 21, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. LAKERS FANS WEARING LUKA DONCIC (77) AND LEBRON JAMES (23) JERSEYS WALKING 2. YELLOW, PURPLE AND PURPLE, GOLD LUKA DONCIC (77) JERSEYS FOR SALE 3. FANS OUTSIDE CRYPTO.COM ARENA 4. LOS ANGELES LAKERS LOGO 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 22-YEAR-OLD LAKERS FAN, YONI VILLAGRAN, SAYING: "I mean, it's always championship or bust here. And I mean, we have all this flexibility. One first round, pick two. A lot of inspiring salaries. And I mean, we've got two of the top five NBA players on our team so we've got to be competing for a championship." 6. LAKERS FANS POSING WITH JERSEY 7. PEOPLE ON CROSSWALK 8. LUMINOUS PENDANTS 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 41-YEAR-OLD LAKERS FAN, SARDIS RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: "I'm super excited, been waiting, been going to pre-season games and waiting for the real show to start and seeing what our team has to offer this year." 10. FAMILY OF FANS EATING AT A RESTAURANT TABLE 11. DETAIL OF LUKA DONCIC (77) JERSEY'S BACK 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 41-YEAR-OLD LAKERS FAN, SARDIS RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: RODRIGUEZ: "Skinny Luka, yeah!" JOURNALIST OFF-CAMERA: "What do you make of Skinny Luka? RODRIGUEZ: "It's really exciting what he was doing in pre-season. He was really showing us what he really has to offer and I think he's ready to play. Like it's knowing that he played the Euro Cup, Euro ball this summer. Yeah, he looks good. I'm really excited." 13. FANS SHOPPING FOR JERSEYS AT VENDOR'S STAND ON STREET 14. JERSEYS FOR SALE ON STREET 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 22-YEAR-OLD LAKERS FAN, YONI VILLAGRAN, SAYING: "Super excited man, because I came to see Game two of the playoffs last year and I mean, Jackson, he's like a little bit too skinny. We could have any backup pick at the time, so we had to play small ball for like 48 minutes in game five, three or four or five, pretty much. So I mean, having someone who is 7-foot, 260 pounds or whatever he is is great. A big presence inside. It definitely helps." 16. LAKERS HATS FOR SALE 17. CRYPTO.COM ARENA EXTERIOR 18. LAKERS FANS WALKING ON CROSSWALK 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 29-YEAR-OLD VENDOR WHO SELLS LAKERS HATS, COLE SPENCE, SAYING: "We're going to win the NBA championship. It's that simple. Luka Doncic in a full season with LeBron James. It's over. It's over. Lakers got this." 20. SPENCER ARRANGING MERCHANDISE AT HIS STAND ON STREET 21. LAKERS HAT FOR SALE 22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 29-YEAR-OLD VENDOR WHO SELLS LAKERS HATS, COLE SPENCE, SAYING: "I'm expecting him to be the best player in the league this season. He's working on his diet, he's working on his craft and they disrespected him last year and he's coming for the throne. He's coming for the throne." 23. FANS WAITING TO CROSS STREET 24. FANS OUTSIDE CRYPTO.COM ARENA 25. VARIOUS OF CRYPTO.COM ARENA EXTERIOR STORY: Los Angeles Lakers fans voiced strong confidence that their team will capture the NBA championship as they gathered outside Crypto.com Arena ahead of Tuesday's (October 21) season opener against the visiting Golden State Warriors. "It's always championship or bust here," said Yoni Villagran, 22. "We've got two of the top five NBA players on our team so we've got to be competing for a championship," he said referring to Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Season ticket holder Sardis Rodriguez, raised in a Lakers household, said she was eager for the long wait to end. "I've been at pre-season games waiting for the real show to start and see what our team has to offer," she said. Rodriguez said she has high expectations for "Skinny Luka," her nickname for Doncic after his summer weight loss. "It was really exciting what he was doing in pre-season," she said. "He looks good, I'm really excited." Rodriguez also marveled at the longevity of James, who turns 41 on Dec. 30. James missed the season opener due to sciatica in his right side and is not expected to return until mid-November. "I'm 41 and he's got sciatica, so I'm feeling his aches and pains," she said. "What he's doing is amazing because I would be laid out for months. But he's still out there putting on a good show." She too had high expectations for the Purple and Gold, who can tie the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships with an 18th Larry O'Brien trophy this season. "All the way every year… We're going all the way." Villagran said a stronger interior presence would be key this season, pointing to center Deandre Ayton as an important addition. "Having someone who is 7-foot, 260 pounds or whatever he is is great. A big presence inside. It definitely helps," he said. On the sidewalk adjacent to the arena, vendor Cole Spence, who sells Lakers hats, shoes and mini basketballs at the Swag Shack pop-up, couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "We're going to win the NBA championship, it's that simple!" he said. "Luka Doncic in a full season with LeBron James. It's over! The Lakers got this." Spence predicted a standout year from Doncic, who is among the early favorites to win the MVP Award. "I'm expecting him to be the best player in the league this season," he said. "He's working on his diet, he's working on his craft, and he was disrespected last season. He's coming for the throne." (Production: Sandra Stojanovic, Rory Carroll, Ivan Romero)
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