Luka Doncic’s weight had been a big talking point in recent years and one of the things which held him back, as good as he was. It was also reportedly one of the reasons why the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. But months later, and now on the cover of the recent issue of Men’s Health Magazine, it’s Doncic — looking shredded — who’s getting the last laugh at his former team.
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Doncic is starting to feel the need to stand up for himself. He knows he has to condition himself better to be the face of the league, something he has the potential to become. But he’s still defending his game from before he lost all the weight. After all, Doncic led the Mavs to the NBA Finals just over a year ago.
Had it not been for the unstoppable Boston Celtics superteam, Doncic might have had a ring to show off. But in terms of performance, there were honestly very few shortcomings, especially on the offensive side of things.
“Obviously, I try to not read much, just try to focus,” he said in an interview with Today. “I think I was still a pretty good basketball player back then, no matter what people say.”
In the time Doncic was considered ‘unfit’, he was a five-time First Team selection and recorded 80 triple-doubles. He also finished in the top 10 of MVP voting five times and won Rookie of the Year in 2018/19. The idea that his weight was holding him back as a player was simply not true. However, Luka was noticeably a bit larger this past season than when he entered the league.
Doncic also looked fatigued down the stretch when the Mavs lost the Finals to the Boston Celtics. This could’ve been for several reasons, like usage and injuries. But it never hurts to have more gas in the tank to call upon when needed. That’s why Doncic knew that weight loss was the next step in his journey as an NBA superstar. So, he took it upon himself to get in better shape this offseason.
“I think it was the next step in my career,” Doncic said. “At the end, I’m still 26, I got a long way to go, so that was a good step in my career.”
It’s a great next step for Luka’s future. Staying in shape is key to staying durable and having a long career. He probably understands that now, especially playing alongside LeBron James. LeBron has lasted 22 seasons not just because he’s elite, but because he’s always kept himself in top shape.
All in all, it’ll be interesting to see if this fitter version of Doncic can make a bigger impact next season in LA. The Lakers were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. And even though it was far from Luka’s fault that they lost the series, he will surely want to redeem both himself and the team and come out firing on all cylinders in 2025/26.