When Luka Doncic reports to Los Angeles Lakers training camp later this year, he will look like a new person. That’s because the superstar has been putting in work this offseason to transform his body in order to reach his full potential in the NBA.
Doncic has dealt with some nagging injuries in the past and hasn’t always been in the best shape. That was partly why the Dallas Mavericks decided to part ways with the 26-year-old despite leading them to the NBA Finals the year before and already having five First Team All-NBA honors to his name.
But after the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Doncic immediately began two-a-day workouts and the results have been stunning. Luka appears to be in the best shape of his life, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the league. And that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon, via Andrew Heffernan and Ebenezer Samuel of Men’s Health:
“If I stop now,” Dončić says of his effort to rebuild his body, “it was all for nothing.”
Doncic added that he knows he needs to take care of his body throughout his career and this offseason is just the beginning of that:
“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.”
It’s hard to imagine the Mavericks trading Doncic if they knew this type of commitment to transforming his body was coming. Perhaps it was the trade that brought this out of Doncic and it wouldn’t have happened if he stayed in Dallas. Regardless, the Lakers have to be thrilled with what they are seeing.
When the Lakers traded for Luka, they made it very clear that he is who they will be building around moving forward. They are used to having superstars that are not only exceptional basketball players, but also maniacs when it comes to taking care of their bodies. Kobe Bryant was the biggest example of that, and then LeBron James carried it on as he gets set to enter his 23rd season in the NBA.
It’s now Doncic’s turn, and in his first offseason with the purple and gold, he is demonstrating the exact type of commitment they were hoping for when they made the trade.
Luka Doncic has been active recruiter for Lakers
Not only has Luka Doncic been dedicated to his own personal health this offseason, but he has also been focused on trying to help the Lakers get better. According to recent reports, Doncic has been an active recruiter for the Lakers, notably helping them land both Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart in free agency.
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