“I don’t knock him one bit” – Stephen A. Smith surprisingly backs Luka Doncic’s EuroBasket run despite NBA concerns

Marc Stein

@TheSteinLine

Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a right knee contusion, sources briefed on the situation tell @TheSteinLine, but the injury he sustained today with Slovenia’s national team is not believed to be serious.

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After further evaluation, Doncic's national team confirmed that he's cleared to play on Tuesday against Great Britain. Similar to their game against Latvia, it's also a friendly match. Slovenia will play its opening match against Poland on August 28 as the actual event gets underway on August 27.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith discussed his thoughts on Doncic's recent injury on Monday. Smith was asked if playing in the international tournament was a bad idea for the five-time All-Star.

“Normally, I would say yes, but in this case I’m going to say no,” Smith said. “He missed a lot of last season, obviously, in Dallas before he got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Even though he was out of shape in a lot of people’s eyes, he was still averaging 28, 8 and 7.

“He got his bag, he got his money. And now he’s out here trying to work himself into the best shape he’s been in in his life. If this is how he chooses to do it, I don’t knock him one bit.”

Smith also noted that international players are extremely dedicated when it comes to representing their home country. According to the NBA insider, he believes that representing their country is important.

He went on to say that Smith can see why he's still determined to play despite Luka Doncic's minor injury concern. Although the majority of fans believe it could jeopardize his NBA future, playing for his country is still a huge accomplishment.

Improving Luka Doncic's stamina is one of his goals next season

Since the Lakers started their offseason, Luka Doncic has been on a fitness journey. He addressed his physical conditioning and has been looking extremely fit since the start of the summer.

Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean expects Doncic to continue improving further. One of the major concerns for the five-time All-NBA star heading into the new season is his stamina.

"He's somebody who plays a lot of heavy minutes, and he carries a heavy load. So that's going to be important for him as he continues to improve his conditioning. But we're really proud of him and he's done a great job so far," the assistant coach said.

Fans are ready to see the new version of Luka Doncic for the 2025-26 season. With an improved physique, many expect him to have a great year.

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Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

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