Luka Doncic has been a superstar right from his first year in the NBA. Since his arrival at the Dallas Mavericks as the third overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, he has gone from strength to strength, with his cumulative averages of 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists over seven seasons, confirming what the eye test reveals as well.
The Slovenian playmaker is one of the most gifted offensive players the NBA has ever seen. His graceful, almost lanky approach to the game, vision, and the ability to find offensive solutions regardless of what is put in front of him make him a generational star.
However, while not a single person can raise concern about what the Lakers superstar brings to his teams offensively, it is his play at the other end of the court that has led to regular criticism, and sometimes even ridicule. Problems with weight and conditioning, as well as a perceived lack of effort defensively, have always been regular criticisms levied at the player.
However, fans who followed Doncic at EuroBasket 2025 will know that a different version of the player arrived at the tournament. So much so that the rest of the NBA might as well be put on alert.
Why Luka Doncic’s EuroBasket 2025 campaign stands out
Luka Doncic’s resume already has a portfolio of standout achievements. The 2024 NBA Scoring Champion is a five-time All-Star, won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, and regularly takes over games single-handedly. However, none of those achievements have ever been related to Luka Doncic's work on the other end of the court.
Never has he actually been seen as the vocal leader who is out there screaming inspirational speeches at his teammates.
“We're up by seven, calm the f**k down, everyone. You're all nervous, it's seven points. Focus, we don't need to f**king fight each other. We're against them, not against ourselves, come on!” he was heard screaming at his teammates during a timeout against Italy in the round of 16.
Doncic seemed to have come of age during this run and was regularly seen being a vocal leader on a roster that was begging for quality around him. Further, this was not a one-off, with even the Lakers' staff noting the outlined change in his overall approach.
“I think in a national team jersey, you see his leadership a little bit more. I think that's something that he's going to continue to do even more with the Lakers,” Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean noted. “I think he's taking pride in that. He's maturing and growing. Obviously, he's still a young star, and he's finding his leadership voice,” Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean recently said about this new version of Luka.
However, the transformation has not been limited to how much he speaks and tries to inspire those around him. Doncic is known to have lost around 31 pounds during the NBA offseason and arrived at the competition looking fitter and sharper.
He then proceeded to actually make defensive plays throughout the competition, showing immediate value for the physical change. Increased energy on defense seemed to amplify his ability to read opposition plays as he finished the tournament as the steals leader, averaging 2.7 per game.
Doncic’s increased energy on both ends of the court and his ability to keep pushing to regain possession stood out the most as he produced regular blocks and consistently tried to disrupt opponents. All of this came despite him continuing his domination on the other end of the court, something which has always been seen as a given considering the player’s offensive calibre. He finished with a stat line of 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game across seven appearances at the tournament per FIBA.
However, when Doncic’s offensive gifts are combined with increased defensive awareness and effort, the result on paper, at least, appears fearsome. While the same kind of defensive domination will not be expected in the NBA, the increased focus and the consistent desire to contribute arguably add a new dimension to the player’s game.
Now, it will be about translating that to the biggest basketball league in the world. If he succeeds, the rest of the NBA will need to beware, considering the sheer impact this new version of the player seems capable of making.
