Luka Doncic’s conditioning takes center stage: After criticism he has taken the matter into his own hands

For all his transcendent talent, Luka Dončić has always battled one narrative off the court: his conditioning. Despite being one of the most gifted offensive players of his generation—capable of dazzling footwork, elite shot creation, and jaw-dropping passes—questions about his stamina and physical shape have dogged him since his rookie season. Now, after years of external criticism and internal frustration, Dončić appears to have taken the matter into his own hands.
The 26-year-old Dallas Mavericks superstar has embarked on what sources close to the team describe as his “most focused offseason ever,” shifting his priorities to ensure he enters next season in peak condition. For Dončić, it’s about more than silencing critics—it’s about evolving into the leader and complete player he wants to be.
“You can’t control everything people say,” Dončić told The Athletic in a recent interview. “But you can control how you prepare. I want to win a championship. That means taking care of everything—on the court and off.”
From Superstar to Scrutiny: Luka’s Longstanding Battle
Since entering the NBA in 2018 as a European sensation, Dončić has been unstoppable with the ball in his hands. A four-time All-NBA First Team selection by age 25, he has posted historic stat lines and carried the Mavericks to multiple playoff runs, including a Western Conference Finals berth in 2022. But amid all the praise, his conditioning has remained a consistent topic of concern.
Opposing players have whispered about his late-game fatigue. Analysts have pointed to his defensive lapses as a symptom of physical exhaustion. And each season, Dončić has often needed several weeks to play himself into form after training camp.
Former coach Rick Carlisle once alluded to Luka’s need for “professional habits.” More recently, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst remarked, “You can’t be an MVP-caliber player and show up out of shape. Not anymore. Not with the expectations Luka now carries.”
The Breaking Point: Last Season’s Wear and Tear
The 2024–25 season may have been the breaking point for Dončić. While his individual stats were again elite—he averaged 33.7 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game—his body often showed signs of wear. He dealt with minor hamstring issues, back tightness, and ankle inflammation, and missed several stretches of games down the stretch.
More visibly, there were moments when Luka looked gassed in the fourth quarter. In close losses to playoff contenders like the Nuggets and Clippers, Dončić was visibly slower in defensive rotations and settled for contested step-backs late in games. Opponents began hunting him on defense with increasing regularity, and the Mavs’ coaching staff was forced to stagger his minutes more carefully.
“He’s carrying a huge load,” one Mavericks assistant told Bleacher Report. “But even he knows that some of the fatigue is avoidable. He just has to treat his conditioning like a weapon, not a burden.”
A Shift in Mentality
Following the Mavericks’ first-round playoff exit, Dončić reportedly told team officials and close friends that he was “done talking” about conditioning. He wanted to do something about it.
For the first time in his career, Dončić has hired a full-time personal chef, a second strength and conditioning coach, and a sleep performance specialist. He plans to spend his summer between Dallas and a performance facility in Southern California, training alongside a mix of NBA veterans and elite soccer players.
“Luka is taking it seriously,” said Donatas Erglis, a Slovenian performance coach who’s worked with him since he was a teenager. “He understands this is the difference between being great and being legendary.”
Erglis said Luka’s new regimen includes high-intensity interval training, mobility work, and nutritional changes designed to reduce inflammation and maximize recovery. Perhaps most importantly, he’s fully bought in.
“This isn’t just about dropping 10 pounds,” Erglis said. “It’s about feeling better in Game 70 than you did in Game 20. That’s the goal.”
Role Models and Realization
Sources say Dončić has drawn inspiration from players like Nikola Jokić, who transformed his body and game through improved conditioning. Once criticized for similar reasons, Jokić revamped his diet, trimmed down, and eventually won multiple MVPs while leading the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title.
“Luka watched Jokić win it all and said, ‘Why not me?’” a close friend of Dončić told ESPN. “He knows he’s got the talent. He just needed to commit the same way.”
The transformation of other greats hasn’t gone unnoticed either. LeBron James has long invested over $1 million annually into his body. Steph Curry worked relentlessly on his core strength and flexibility after early-career injuries. Dončić now appears to be entering that phase of his own evolution.
“The best players extend their primes by taking care of the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” said Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. “That’s what Luka’s doing now.”
Mavericks’ Confidence and Offseason Plans
Internally, the Mavericks are thrilled by Dončić’s initiative. While they’ve tried to steer him toward better habits in the past, they recognize that real change only happens when it comes from the player himself.
“Luka is the heart of this franchise,” said Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. “Seeing him take this step just reinforces our belief that we can build a championship team around him. He’s leading by example.”
Dončić’s commitment to conditioning may also influence the team’s approach to roster construction. The Mavs are prioritizing two-way players who can complement Dončić by reducing his physical workload and allowing him to focus on high-efficiency possessions rather than hero-ball sequences.
Adding another elite perimeter defender and an athletic big remains on the team’s to-do list. But no acquisition will be as impactful as a version of Luka Dončić who is leaner, faster, and more durable.
Changing the Narrative
Luka Dončić has always played the game with joy, flair, and control that belied his age. But to many observers, there was always the sense that he was getting by on talent rather than complete professionalism. With his latest offseason shift, Dončić is challenging that perception head-on.
“He doesn’t want people saying, ‘He’s great, but…’ anymore,” said one longtime European scout. “He wants to be the best. Period. No caveats.”
The early signs are promising. Teammates have remarked on his improved fitness already during early pickup games. His agent, Bill Duffy, confirmed Dončić’s weight is down and his body-fat percentage has dropped significantly since the season ended.
More importantly, Luka’s mindset seems to have shifted. He’s no longer defensive when asked about his conditioning—he’s proactive.
“I want to play until I’m 38,” he said in a recent Q&A session in Slovenia. “That means I have to do things differently than when I was 19. I’m ready.”
A Different Luka in 2025–26?
If Luka Dončić follows through on his commitment, the Mavericks could enter next season with a version of their star that the league has never seen—sharper, quicker, more consistent in crunch time, and capable of playing both ends of the floor without wearing down.
His footwork and skill will always be his calling cards. But now, he’s adding durability, stamina, and professionalism to the equation.
“It’s exciting,” said Kidd. “We already knew we had a generational player. Now we might have a generational leader.”
The league should take notice. Because if Luka Dončić combines his genius with elite conditioning, the ceiling for him—and for the Mavericks—might no longer exist.