Luka Doncic has carved out a reputation for playing close to the ground. Unlike his current Los Angeles Lakers teammate LeBron James did in his prime, Doncic doesn’t soar above the rim. That wasn’t necessarily the case during Doncic’s rookie year, when he showcased more athleticism. Following his recent body transformation, the Slovenian star is now jumping higher than he ever has.
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Doncic’s motivation to be great has soared to newfound heights this offseason. To reach those lofty goals, he has put together a three-person training group he calls Team Luka, which includes trainer Anze Macek, physiotherapist Javier Barrio and nutritionist Lucia Almendros.
When Donic was at his athletic peak as a rookie, he weighed 218 pounds. In subsequent years, that has risen to 230 pounds as he has adjusted to the NBA’s physicality. He has recently been trying to maintain that strength while toning up other areas. The process has required rigorous training.
Doncic told Men’s Health that, in order to be his best, he has to take care of himself, and he has devoted himself to doing just that. Luka hopes to improve his athleticism with his offseason training.
A lot of sports analysts connect athleticism with jumping ability. In Doncic’s opinion, that way of thinking is flawed. “Not everything is jumping high,” Doncic said. “I think I’m very athletic in other stuff: balancing, controlling my body, what I do when I stop, slowing down.”
The five-time All-Star makes an excellent point. Balance and control of pace are overlooked in the conversation. Regarding those two aspects, few are better than Doncic. But that doesn’t mean Doncic hasn’t been working on his jumping ability.
Luka’s trainer shed some light on the 6-foot-6 guard’s vertical, suggesting he has made significant strides. “This year, we didn’t measure the jumping yet,” Macek said. “But I think it’s a little bit higher.”
It’s hard to pinpoint a frame of reference, since Doncic didn’t attend the 2018 NBA Draft Combine to record his vertical. If what Macek says is true, it will certainly be evidenced by Doncic’s performance on the court.
Until the official numbers are released, the eye test will have to do. Nonetheless, the idea of Doncic improving athletically is a scary thought for his opponents, as if he weren’t already an early MVP candidate for the 2025-26 season.
