Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gestures during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena.
William Liang-Imagn Images
Now that LeBron James has signed to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially entering the Luka Doncic era. That means Doncic must be in top shape to carry the purple and gold.
In an official email to fans released on Monday, Doncic said he is “100% healthy again,” which will give Lakers fans a glimmer of hope, per Don Woike of The Athletic. In it, Doncic said that after the season wrapped, he took a prolonged break from basketball. Doncic traveled overseas to Spain for his recovery and also took part in an offseason program.
He said he needed the weeks-long hiatus to fully get back to form.
“I took a real break from basketball the first few weeks after the season ended to rehab my body. My recovery went great, and I'm 100% healthy again,” Doncic wrote.
“Taking some time away from basketball is something I do at the start of every offseason. It's a different way to do things, but it works for me. When I let myself miss the game a little bit and try some new things, it only makes me more excited and motivated to get back to playing.”
The Lakers were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder in a four-game sweep. Doncic missed out on the remainder of the playoffs after sustaining a Grade 2 left hamstring injury. Altogether, Doncic played 64 games and averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, he shot 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from the 3-point line.