Luka Dončić went nuclear on Santi Aldama with classic trash talk in the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Slovenian star, now in purple and gold since 2025, showed his edge in a heated moment, something fans have seen from him very rarely.
The eye-popping incident dropped in the third quarter, with the score tight. Aldama, the Spanish forward, faked a three-point attempt. Dončić contested hard, but refs whistled him for the foul.
Luka Doncic Explodes on European Counterpart after Getting Foul Call
It went down with more than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, and the score knotted at 71. Aldama faked a 3-pointer from the arc, and everyone thought it would be a real throw, but Dončić closed out aggressively. Their arms made visible contact, and Aldama went down.
Replays showed only light contact on the follow-through. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for the officials to call it. Aldama didn’t flop or exaggerate. By the rulebook, it was a fair call, even if it looked borderline in real time.
Dončić opened his jaw right away due to frustration, staring down the Grizzlies forward. Lip readers on social media are pretty sure that Doncic spat out “Fu— soft a— bi—” from his mouth, which is clear as day.
“F*****g soft a** b***h” 😳
Luka’s been on demon time lately…
(h/t @Fullcourtpass)
pic.twitter.com/nZrzcxJAPi— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 5, 2026
The Lakers rallied from a 15-point deficit and clinched a hard-fought 120–114 against Memphis. The 26-year-old finished with 36 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, going 12-for-13 at the line in a game where the Lakers held a 42–22 free-throw advantage.
Fan Reactions Pour In
Social media blew up with roasts on Dončić’s hypocrisy because irony hit this time, given Dončić’s reputation. Known for whining to refs and drawing soft calls himself, his words boomeranged.
One fan wrote, “Luka saying this is hilarious. He’s literally the biggest cry baby in the league.”
Another added, “he is talking about himself?”
A third noted, “Flopper and a cornball cry bum chuka.”
The fourth shared, “Crybaby calling other people soft.”
A fifth one claimed, “Fake demon.”
Thread views hit 87K fast as fans debated whether Dončić has become more aggressive since the trade to L.A. The Grizzlies were still shorthanded without Ja Morant, who is dealing with a right calf injury.
Aldama finished with 12 points and solid defense. The league may review audio, but fines seem unlikely. However, the clash added another layer to the rivalry.
