Lakers fans already had reason to be excited about Luka Doncic’s arrival in Los Angeles, but his Slovenian teammates may have just poured gasoline on the fire. As Slovenia prepares for EuroBasket 2025, veterans Edo Muric and Aleksej Nikolic, who spoke to BasketNews, have offered glowing reviews of Doncic’s evolution, praising his fitness, his leadership, and even his defense.
For a Lakers franchise that just handed Doncic a three-year, $165 million extension and built the roster around him, these comments could not come at a better time.
Muric, Slovenia’s long-time captain, was especially effusive about the changes he’s seen in Luka.
“Yeah, he’s faster and jumps more. And this year, I expect him to be the best version of himself.”
“Every year he’s more vocal and vocal. This is what we need from him. He’s our leader, and this needs to be done on the court and off the court. That’s why I say he’s maturing; he knows what he’s talking about, and it’s really a pleasure to follow him.”
“He’s more experienced, maturing, he understands the game better and better every year. So, I think that he showed everyone that he’s one of the best players, and I think that he still belongs there. I can’t wait for us to be all together and to enjoy our game.”
For Lakers Nation, this should hit home, the biggest question surrounding Doncic since his NBA arrival hasn’t been talent, but conditioning and leadership. Now, with Slovenia’s captain declaring Luka has become both faster and more vocal, it appears the Lakers may be getting the most complete version of Doncic yet.
Nikolic echoed those thoughts, specifically addressing the narrative that has followed Doncic in recent years, his fitness.
“It’s super hard [to defend him]. I mean, everybody’s talking about his fitness. Of course, he said that he’s in a lot better shape. And I mean, he’s just being him.”
For years, Doncic has been tagged as “out of shape” or compared to a “traffic cone” defensively. But this offseason, Luka underwent a noticeable body transformation through diet and conditioning work.
Those efforts were on display in a recent friendly against Latvia, where Doncic not only scored 26 points in the first half but also showed a level of defensive effort rarely seen in his NBA career. He rotated, tracked the ball, stayed active with his hands, and even came up with a block that sparked transition offense.
Nobody expects Doncic to suddenly become a lockdown defender, but Lakers fans have long hoped for just an honest, consistent effort on that end. If he delivers that, it would be a game-changer for Los Angeles.
His Slovenian teammates are clearly seeing the signs. Prepelic also praised Doncic’s growth as a leader, noting that he’s turned into a more positive, committed, and vocal presence.
For the Lakers, this matters. In Los Angeles, Doncic won’t just be tasked with putting up 30 points and 10 assists, he’ll need to set the tone for a roster reshaped to compete around him. His teammates in Slovenia describe a player stepping fully into that role.
The Lakers didn’t just acquire Doncic’s talent; they acquired his trajectory. The criticisms about conditioning, defense, and leadership may soon look outdated. A player who’s more fit, quicker, and more vocal is the exact superstar the Lakers need to lead them into the post-LeBron James era.
With EuroBasket looming and Doncic nursing a minor knee contusion, fans will watch anxiously. But if his Slovenian teammates are right, Luka will return to Los Angeles ready to dominate at a level even his critics can’t deny.
And for Lakers Nation, hearing that their new superstar is faster, stronger, and maturing into a true leader?
That’s enough to fire up an entire city.
