Luka Doncic Makes Bold Statement on Body After Criticism Following Lakers Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It has only been a little less than three months since the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Timberwolves, but for star guard Luka Doncic, things have already changed. Notably, his body — Doncic has been putting in extra work to firm up his conditioning, which was so long a point of contention in Dallas and one of the reasons the Mavericks traded him at last February’s NBA deadline.
In an interview with Men’s Health magazine, Doncic says he is already well into the process of transforming himself.
“Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better,” he told the magazine.
Of course, this is not the first time we’ve seen an offseason story about a player getting into the best shape of his life. It’s an annual rite in the NBA, and in any sport, and it’s especially applied to Doncic, who has been a five-time All-NBA player in his six years in the league despite not being in tip-top shape.
Doncic, according to the magazine, has been working out in Croatia and adhering to a “gluten-free, low-sugar diet,” and is working with his fitness team to follow through on his commitment to conditioning. That has come into clear focus following the controversial trade out of Dallas.
“So every summer I try my best to work on different things,” he says. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.”
He also says he is motivated by the examples of two other all-time great players, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, who were known for their incomparable and demanding workout regimens. “MJ and Kobe, you know, they really did a lot in their careers,” he says. “They sacrificed a lot.”
Doncic added that his focus is on condition rather than athleticism, which has never been his strength. But there are still ways he can be effective without that. “Not everything is jumping high,” he says. “I think I’m very athletic in other stuff. Balancing, controlling my body, what I do when I stop, slowing down.”
Doncic has made progress, he said. But he also said he’s just beginning.
“Obviously, be the best that I can be, take care of myself,” he says. “This year, with my team, I think we did a huge step. But this is just the start, you know. I need to keep going. Can’t stop.”
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.