The first honor of capitalizing on the body transformation of Luka Doncic will not be given to the Los Angeles Lakers. That gift will belong to his countrymen as Slovenia prepares to do battle at EuroBasket 2025. Doncic's physique is not the only thing his teammates are benefitting from, though.
A key member of the Slovenian national team, Edo Muric, had a very telling quote about the kind of approach their team captain, Doncic, had instilled in them. It is worth mentioning the following message was translated from Slovenian to English, leaving some small room for error.
Muric said, "We played in Latvia at 9:00 p.m. We played a game in Lithuania before that. We got home at 5:00 a.m., and when we met for the next training session, we were very tired. I could barely move, and then Luka, who is one of the best in the world, came and grabbed the ball and went 100 percent."
Muric was in disbelief over the effort and enthusiasm Doncic brought. The Lakers superstar was described as a role model by his teammate. Luka's love of the game has equipped his fellow countrymen with plenty of confidence ahead of the EuroBasket competition.
Luka Doncic’s presence makes the Lakers instant contenders
The Lakers will undoubtedly want to keep a close eye on EuroBasket to see the type of rewards they stand to reap from the presence of Doncic in purple and gold for the upcoming NBA season. Slovenia comes in far from a favorite, but Luka will surely be hoping to elevate them beyond their projections.
There are players on the Lakers who will need the same kind of experience in 2025-26 that Muric described. Doncic can get the best out of his surrounding talent, and the new arrivals, in particular, stand to benefit a ton.
Deandre Ayton immediately sticks out as a player who Lakers fans will be pleading to follow Doncic's lead. Ayton arrived in Los Angeles with plenty of criticism following him from Portland. Luka's intensity inspiring the best out of him will be on the wish list for all those involved.
Marcus Smart is certainly not a player who lacks in that department. The former Boston Celtics fan favorite does not hold back on providing the kind of effort Doncic is said to have brought to Slovenia.
The back-and-forth between these two in practice should certainly invite plenty of competitive fire for the Lakers. For Smart, it will be about understanding how valuable Luka's presence is and how to mold around that to be a championship-caliber role player not seen since his Celtics days.
Doncic is both an excellent floor and ceiling raiser for any team the five-time All-NBA member is a part of. 2025-26 will be the first chance for the Lakers to enjoy a full-scale opportunity to see what that looks like.