Luka Doncic has proven himself as one of the best players in the league. If his almost-MVP campaign as a sophomore in 2019-20 didn’t prove it to the world, the Mavericks’ sensational 2022 Playoff run to the Western Conference Finals certainly should have. However, a common criticism of Luka is the fact that he is not in the best shape.
While Luka’s size allows him to bully smaller guards and hold his own against larger forwards, his stamina and speed have often been questioned because of his weight. This was a similar criticism hurled at Nikola Jokic until the 2020-21 season, when Jokic seemed to have slimmed down and has since won back-to-back MVP awards.
Earlier in the offseason, a picture of Luka playing for Slovenia showed that he is already looking to be in great shape. A recent picture a fan took with Luka on vacation has shown that Luka is staying in shape through the summer, looking noticeably trim. Fans have naturally gotten excited about what skinny Luka may look like next season.
Old argument: Luka too heavy
New argument: GET THAT MAN SOME WHATABURGER pic.twitter.com/ULUa5khCHI
— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) August 1, 2022
Skinny Luka has arrived😱😱🤩🤩 https://t.co/dCtbRX8dGN
— Jesse🧸 (@JESSUPTOWN) August 2, 2022
Slim Luka bout to average 40 on the league https://t.co/ENoLZl62UV
— Habitual Line Stepper (@TheBlkHumorist) August 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/ryanvwatanabe/status/1554239761199423488
tony romo used to shape shift like this as the resident dfw sports icon of the day https://t.co/zdJV6l9UKN
— m. taddow (@MikeTaddow) August 1, 2022
We’ve got the 2020 Bubble Doncic back https://t.co/MdOrFPcTGP pic.twitter.com/4bQBsR7JIs
— BlackieChan (@BC_Owen1) August 1, 2022
he on that spencer smoothie cleanse lmao https://t.co/ljZMINbtgU
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) August 1, 2022
somebody get this man a Chicken strip sandwich https://t.co/9dCx5gCSSO
— Frank🧛🏽♂️ (@frankwestmavs) August 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/greysonmffl/status/1554225686772056064
Luka doesn’t need to be thin to be a dominant player in the league and he has proven the same over his career. It wouldn’t hurt for Luka to be more durable and be able to contribute for even bigger minutes during the season. It would also be best for him if he wants to commit himself to win the MVP award.
Doncic looking trim is a great sign, but fans should be wary of the effect that the upcoming EuroBasket tournament may take on him. Doncic self-admittedly gained weight after the Olympics last season so he would be cautious to avoid the same fate this season. If he doesn’t, another slow start may beckon for the 23-year-old star.
