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It's been a transformative summer for Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, who recently showed off his weight loss with some pictures for Men's Health Magazine. It's a big development for a star player in Doncic, who had long faced criticisms, particularly from his former team the Dallas Mavericks, that his lack of conditioning was holding him back from reaching his full historically great potential.
One person who is skeptical of the timing of this newly revealed weight loss is sports media personality Skip Bayless, who recently took to his account on X, formerly Twitter, with some harsh thoughts on the photos.
“Luka Doncic, just before he's about to be eligible on August 2nd for his first big supermax from the Lakers… out of nowhere, bolt of lightning, Luka is on the cover of Men's Health, looking even more ripped than I am? Out of nowhere?” wondered Bayless, who also referred to Doncic as a “fat rat” in the caption of his X post.
Doncic will indeed be eligible to sign a long-term extension with the Lakers beginning this weekend, which could make the timing of the pictures a bit curious.
Has Luka Doncic turned a corner?
Doncic didn't do much to dispel the notion that he isn't in great shape during his brief tenure with the Lakers to end last season, consistently running low on gas at the end of close games during the team's playoff flameout vs the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite being heavier than most other players, Doncic has still established himself as one of the three or four best players in the NBA over the last several years, so thinking about what he may be like now that he is apparently in good shape is a scary proposition for opposing franchises.
A slimmer and more conditioned Doncic could help take more of the pressure off of Lakers teammate LeBron James next season, which could allow the 41 year-old to save more of his energy for the playoffs, assuming Los Angeles gets there.
In any case, the Lakers' schedule for the 2025-26 season is slated to be released next month.
