Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green believes that Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic’s impressive body transformation demonstrates his hunger for success, which could spell bad news for the rest of the NBA.
Reacting to photos of a skinnier Doncic, Green wrote on his IG: “Luka is looking like rookie Luka all over again. The Trade has created that hunger again it seems!”
Others have also suggested that the Mavericks’ decision to trade Doncic to the Lakers lit a fire under his belly, fueling him with the desire to prove his naysayers wrong. The Atlantic’s Jemele Hill, for one, believes that the Mavericks trading Doncic was the “best thing that happened” to the Slovenian star as it forced him to realign his priorities.
“Luka being traded is going to be the best thing that happened to his career,” she wrote on X. “He showed he can be a great player in Dallas, but it’s possible he got complacent there. It’s a different standard in Los Angeles, and that is going to bring out (more) of his greatness.”
Mavericks Were Worried About Luka
When the Mavericks shockingly moved on from their former franchise player, several reports suggested that the team was unhappy with his work ethic and affinity for “hookah and beer,” and that they did not believe he was capable of turning a corner.
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont criticized Doncic’s work ethic by suggesting that the all-time players put in countless hours in the gym to reach their potential.
“If you look at the greatest players like Jordan, Bird, Kobe, or Shaq, you’ll see that they worked relentlessly every day, focused solely on winning,” he said.
Subsequently, an ESPN report claimed that the Mavs, who drafted Doncic as a 19-year-old, had seen his recurring patterns every offseason, before giving up on him.
“Sources previously told ESPN and other outlets that there were serious concerns in the Mavericks organization about Doncic’s fitness and work ethic. Team sources said issues with his diet and conditioning had contributed to Doncic’s injuries. In 2021, Doncic himself acknowledged he had to “do better” managing his weight and conditioning.”
Should the NBA Be Terrified?
The odds of Luka Doncic winning his first NBA MVP award skyrocketed shortly after Men’s Health released photos of his skinny self.
Subsequently, several NBA execs, floored by Doncic’s transformation, predicted that the league could be in trouble in the 2025-26 season. One assistant coach told Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett that the league had good reason to be “terrified” of a Doncic 2.0.
“People should be very terrified,” the sideline veteran said.
“I know I am,” he added with a laugh. “He was putting up big numbers (28.6 ppg/career) when he was a chunk. I don’t know if he’ll score more, but he’s got to be a better player when he’s in shape.
“…But I would be terrified. That guy in shape? That’s scary. I saw those pictures. That’s scary. Luka not in shape was amazing. Now? I think it’s going to be frightening for the rest of the league.”
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