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After Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round exit in last year’s playoffs, he wasted no time getting ready for next season. Doncic has been working out over the summer, and it showed when a recent video of him went viral. Coming off a challenging season that included suffering a calf injury that forced him to miss all of January, and the shocking blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Luka reached out to his agent about wanting to train.
It’s all he wanted to do after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Doncic sent that critical text message on May 1, one day after the Lakers’ playoff exit, per Men’s Health’s Andrew Heffernan.
“So every summer I try my best to work on different things,” he says. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.”
The Mavericks’ surprising decision to trade Doncic was rumored to be motivated by his lack of conditioning, which some believed contributed to his recovery process from the calf injury. The combination of his trade to the Lakers after leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2024 and then, coming up short alongside LeBron James in the opening round of last year’s playoffs, has Doncic’s motivation at an all-time high.
Between working out and a new, strict diet, Doncic is determined to have a memorable 2025-26 campaign with the Lakers. And with signs pointing toward next season being James’ last in Los Angeles, what more motivation could Luka need, heading into his first full season with the Lakers?
Luka Doncic’s scary Lakers offseason conditioning message
Lakers guard Luka Doncic issued a message on his conditioning this summer that exemplifies just how focused the veteran is as he enters his ninth NBA season. He’s on a mission to silence his haters while transforming into the best shape of his career.
Doncic isn’t slowing down anytime soon as he spoke on his newfound focus, per Men’s Health.
“If I stop now,” Doncic said. “It was all for nothing.”
While the upcoming season is, of course, the official beginning of Doncic leading the Lakers into a new era, this could be what sets the tone as he becomes the face of the storied franchise. From Kobe Bryant to LeBron James to Doncic, the Lakers have a new future Hall of Fame talent leading the team.
