How much weight did Luka Doncic lose during Lakers’ offseason? Slovenian guard’s stunning transformation ahead of EuroBasket clash explored

Luka Doncic has undergone an impressive transformation this offseason. The Lakers star has lost considerable weight and has focused on making his body leaner for the upcoming NBA season.

Doncic has previously been trolled and criticized for his weight. However, the Slovenian international absorbed the criticism and turned it into fuel during the offseason.

On Thursday, Slo Hoops Fan reported that Luka Doncic has reportedly lost about 31 pounds this summer.

It is great news for the Lakers and the Lakernation as a leaner body has several advantages in the game. According to NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), athletes playing basketball and soccer benefit from having low body fat while maintaining or increasing lean body mass as these sport requires power, speed, quickness, agility and strength.

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Luka Doncic arrived in LA in a surprise move that left the entire basketball world stunned. On Feb. 2, the Dallas Mavericks traded away their generational star to acquire the 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis with hopes of strengthening their defense.

However, it did not take long for the Slovenian international to mark LA as his territory. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games, helping the Lakers finish in third place in the Western Conference standings.

Stephen A. Smith casts shadows on Luka Doncic's transformation with concerns about defensive efforts

Stephen A. Smith is not convinced that Luka Doncic's physical transformation is enough to elevate the Lakers star to another level. On the July 29th episode of "First Take", the ESPN analyst doubted Doncic's ability to maintain his transformed body and utilize it in defensive plays.

"The brother is phenomenal. He's an offensive talent, there's no doubt about this. But there's a difference between getting in shape in the offseason and staying in shape during the season," Smith said.

"The conditioning is obviously imperative but does that mean you're gonna move without the ball instead of standing around and recieving? Does it mean that you are gonna up your efforts continously on the defensive side of the ball?"

Later, Smith said that he was happy to see Doncic work on his conditioning, as it has been his Achilles heel throughout his career. However, he also remarked that the Lakers star's efforts in the offseason will truly show their value when he starts to play more defense during games.

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About the author

Avi Shravan

Avi Shravan's first year of college was the year he discovered his passion for basketball and the NBA. He has been an ardent fan of the sport ever since, from waking up early to cover games to watching pundit discussions, he does it all.

Avi is a big fan of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves and firmly believes that the young star is the next big thing in the NBA.

Avi graduated in Mass Communication and Journalism, further enhancing his skills as a journalist and a writer. In his spare time when he is not writing, you can find him playing video games, watching anime, or reading a book he randomly picked at a bookstore.

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