If you ask JJ Redick, the new and apparently improved version of Luka Doncic is here to say.
As it just so happens, during a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center, somebody did ask the Los Angeles Lakers head coach about the physical transformation his 26-year-old superstar has undergone since last season, and whether Luka planned to sustain his new physique moving forward. Redick’s response indicated that he believes this version of Doncic is here to say:
The idea of Luka moving and defending better than he ever has is tantalizing. And if his commitment to a superior level of physical fitness is now the norm, the payoff could border on unfathomable.
Luka Doncic’s transformation could be a boon for his longevity
Talking heads get too caught up in the aesthetics of player physiques. Body-image ideals need to catch up with the times. Athletes needn’t look a certain way to be excellent at their craft.
Still, Luka’s recent transformation isn’t about shaming his previous appearance. He was dealing with actual injury concerns. There were times during his 33 regular-season and playoff appearances with the Lakers last year when it looked like he could barely move. At the bare minimum, the same shiftiness and intermittent speed in the lane were not on par with his peak performance levels.
Cutting weight and zeroing in on his nutrition might help. Slimming down, specifically, could let him bust the on-ball burst he used to showcase more often, and still doesn’t receive enough credit for.
Some have expressed concern over whether he can handle physicality as well without the extra weight. When you consider the sheer amount of lower body injuries with which he’s dealt, are we sure his body handled it effectively in the first place?
Being lighter on his feet should help with his stamina. That bodes well for someone who will be tasked with absurd on-ball workloads, and likely an uptick in off-ball movement within Redick’s offensive system. If the cost of better mobility and longevity ends up amounting to a few free throws per game, then so be it.
This is huge development for the Lakers
Preseason optimism is always overromanticized. Maybe this plays out the same way. We have seen Luka show up to training camp in tip-top shape before, only to watch his durability and stamina regress throughout the season.
Something about this transformation feels different. Perhaps it’s because the Dallas Mavericks spent the weeks following their decision to trade him by dragging his conditioning and work ethic through the mud. The prevailing thought was always that this smear campaign (and feeble-minded justification) would light a fire inside Donic. Or maybe, just maybe, he’s entering a phase of his career and his life in which you naturally become more aware of the role physical fitness plays in longevity.
Whatever the reason, a souped-up Doncic changes everything for the Lakers—and the league at large. He just averaged around 30 points and six assists per game, on 59 true shooting, for a Lakers team with whom he had no prior experience, while very obviously banged up and/or not in the greatest shape. That’s megastar stuff in its own right, imperfections and all.
The idea that Luka could not only be better and healthier than that, but better and healthier than ever is terrifying—for every team other than the Lakers.