Sources - LeBron James congratulated Luka Doncic on new deal - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — As the ink was still drying on the three-year, $165 million contract extension Luka Doncic signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Doncic's phone started buzzing with the player who has been the face of the franchise the last seven seasons: LeBron James.

James congratulated Doncic on the deal with a FaceTime call, sources familiar with the exchange confirmed to ESPN, after the contract was signed and before Doncic participated in a news conference at the Lakers practice facility Saturday.

James was not among the half dozen teammates to attend the news conference or the group trip from L.A. to Las Vegas on Saturday night to attend the Backstreet Boys concert at Sphere. However, the call continued the support James has shown for Doncic since the Lakers shocked the basketball world by trading for the 26-year-old superstar in February.

«Luka has been my favorite player in the NBA for a while now,» James said on Feb. 4 in his first public comments after his longtime teammate, Anthony Davis, was traded to Dallas to acquire Doncic.

The Lakers went 16-7 in the games James and Doncic played together down the stretch in the regular season.

When asked about Doncic's impending contract decision following the Lakers' first round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, James told ESPN he wanted Doncic to stick around — but he would not attempt to sway his decision.

«I hope, obviously, [he stays long term],» James told ESPN on April 30. «Laker fans f---ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he's got to make a decision for him. S---, I ain't going to be around much longer.»

While James' sentiments towards Doncic have been consistent, with sources telling ESPN