The Mavericks lit a fire under Luka Doncic by trading him to the Lakers in a shocking blockbuster deal. Now that Doncic has responded by getting into the best shape of his life, fans are expecting big things in the 2025-26 campaign. According to Luka, his game will be mostly the same, aside from some bonuses to his speed and stamina.
“Honestly, nothing different,” said Doncic. “Just less tired, a little bit quicker, but nothing specifically different. At the end of the day, I want to win games, that’s all. I want to help my team achieve more.”
As EuroBasket 2025 heads into its final stage, all eyes will be on Luka to see how he's changed both in body and performance. While he's undeniably slimmer, it remains to be seen how his numbers will be affected, if at all. Regardless, Doncic no longer has the conditioning concerns that once got in the way of his success. Thanks to the Mavericks, he has been awakened to what was holding him back, and they might come to regret letting him go.
Despite taking his team to the NBA Finals in 2024, the Mavericks decided they were done trying to get Doncic to stay in shape. Citing conditioning concerns and a poor offseason work ethic, and shipped him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
Luka (5x All-Star) has since vowed to take revenge on his former team by becoming the best version of himself. He's on a strict diet regimen, has been training non-stop, and is now honing his skills further by participating in the EuroBasket tournament this year.
As the summer has progressed, fans, coaches, and players have noticed improvements to Luka's body, conditioning, and leadership. They insist that he's ready for a career year and a potential title run with the Lakers. Reports say he's down 31 pounds, marking one of the most dramatic offseason transformations we've seen in years.
Still, according to Doncic, not much will actually change about his game. He'll be lighter on his feet and have more energy in games throughout the season, but he's not expecting any drastic jumps in his numbers or performance. While he may look different, his goals have not changed: to lead his team to a championship. Just like he always has, Luka is driven to win, and he knows what's at stake if he fails to get it done.
After averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game on 43.8% shooting last season, he's already one of the best players in the league, and now he's got a team around him that checks every box for a title contender. Alongside LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton, Doncic has big expectations, and even though his game won't change, his new form shows us that he's committed to the task.
Ultimately, only time will tell if the new-look Doncic can live up to the hype, but he's not going to credit his body for whatever comes next. Instead, Luka will focus on keeping his killer mentality so he can add a championship to his growing resume.
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