Luka Doncic is killing it in the league. And yet, some fans just won’t stop talking about him not being “in shape.” Despite constantly delivering on the court, Doncic has constantly faced criticism for his weight and conditioning, standing 6’6″ and 230 pounds. The criticism only got stronger after the Lakers crashed out of the playoffs in the first round.
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Reports indicate that the Mavericks’ decision to trade Dončić to the Lakers was influenced not just by basketball fit or salary considerations, but also by persistent concerns over his fitness and discipline, particularly regarding weight management. Sources within the Mavericks organization expressed frustration that Dončić’s weight reportedly reached the high 260s during the season, with some linking his conditioning issues to recurring injuries and questioning his long-term durability.
Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick recently raised eyebrows with his comment, as he said, “I’ll start with the offseason and the work that’s required in an offseason to be in championship shape.”
While Redick didn’t name names, Kevin Garnett believes Luka might be the target. But he isn’t gonna stand for the Luka slander. In fact, he defended the Lakers’ star while doing his best Luka mimicry.
“You want me to do a quadruple double, my friend…want me to come in here with a bunch of muscles? You see my guy in Denver? He has no muscles. You see what he’s doing? I’m killing the league. I am top five in the league,” KG said, mimicking Luka. It was funny, but also dead serious.
There’s no doubt that Luka is a top-five player in the league. From the start, he’s played the game on his own terms, combining elite skill with deceptive quickness. Just last year, he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, and no one questioned his fitness—at the time, the focus was on his defense.
Now, after an early first-round exit despite a strong regular season and playing alongside LeBron, the conversation around his conditioning has resurfaced. The debate around Dončić’s conditioning echoes broader questions in the NBA about the relationship between body type and on-court impact. Even with that frame, Doncic is a five-time All-Star, was the 2023-24 scoring champ, and has earned the All-NBA honors five times.
Nikola Jokić, similarly, has become a three-time MVP and led his team to a championship despite not fitting the traditional mold of NBA athleticism with a game that is built on intelligence, skill, and unique playmaking. He has proved that elite impact is not solely determined by physique or conventional measures of fitness.
But one thing about not fitting the mold? You become a soft target if you don’t constantly deliver.
Despite what Redick’s plans might be for Luka, KG doesn’t “think Luka is going to change. I think Luka is who he is. Luka came into the league, he doesn’t play fast or slow. He has great speed, it works, he knows what he’s doing.”
Garnett said that Luka doesn’t need to play the Warriors’ brand of basketball as it’s not his natural game. Outside of that, he doesn’t need to change or worry about anything.
