Lakers guard Luka Doncic's text that kickstarted offseason body transformation
After Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round exit in last year's playoffs, he wasted no time getting ready for next season. Doncic has been working out over the summer, and it showed when a recent video of him went viral. Coming off a challenging season that included suffering a calf injury that forced him to miss all of January, and the shocking blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Luka reached out to his agent about wanting to train.
It's all he wanted to do after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Doncic sent that critical text message on May 1, one day after the Lakers' playoff exit, per Men's Health's Andrew Heffernan.
'So every summer I try my best to work on different things,' he says. 'Obviously, I'm very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.'
The Mavericks' surprising decision to trade Doncic was rumored to be motivated by his lack of conditioning, which some believed contributed to his recovery process from the calf injury. The combination of his trade to the Lakers after leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2024 and then, coming up short alongside LeBron James in the opening round of last year's playoffs, has Doncic's motivation at an all-time high.
Between working out and a new, strict diet, Doncic is determined to have a memorable 2025-26 campaign with the Lakers. And with signs pointing toward next season being James' last in Los Angeles, what more motivation could Luka need, heading into his first full season with the Lakers?
Luka Doncic's scary Lakers offseason conditioning message
Lakers guard Luka Doncic issued a message on his conditioning this summer that exemplifies just how focused the veteran is as he enters his ninth NBA season. He's on a mission to silence his haters while transforming into the best shape of his career.
Doncic isn't slowing down anytime soon as he spoke on his newfound focus, per Men's Health.
'If I stop now,' Doncic said. 'It was all for nothing.'
While the upcoming season is, of course, the official beginning of Doncic leading the Lakers into a new era, this could be what sets the tone as he becomes the face of the storied franchise. From Kobe Bryant to LeBron James to Doncic, the Lakers have a new future Hall of Fame talent leading the team.
Related: NBA rumors: Did Luka Doncic really have a 42-inch vertical at 2018 NBA Draft Combine?
Related: Lakers' Luka Doncic set for Jordan Brand collab with Aaron Judge at Yankees game
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Celtics extend contract of head coach Joe Mazzulla
Head coach Joe Mazzulla has signed a multi-year contract extension with the Boston Celtics. The team announced his signing on Friday but did not reveal either the length of the deal or its monetary value. Mazzulla, 37, has compiled a 182-64 regular-season record and a 33-17 playoff mark in three seasons with Boston. The Celtics won the NBA title in 2024. He was the youngest head coach to win the NBA Finals since the 1968-69 season, when Bill Russell, then 35, led the Celtics to the NBA championship as a player-coach. "We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics," said Brad Stevens, the team's president of basketball operations. "He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He's worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach -- including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics." A Rhode Island native, Mazzulla was a Celtics assistant coach for three seasons before taking the helm. "This is truly a blessing," he said. "I would not be here without my faith, my wife and my children. We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad's mentorship and the support of our staff. Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston." The Celtics will be a new-look team in the 2025-26 season. Star Jayson Tatum is recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in the playoffs and could miss the entire campaign. The Celtics also traded away veterans Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and aren't expected to bring back Al Horford. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Boston Celtics sign coach Joe Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens has said throughout the offseason that that team wanted Joe Mazzulla to be its coach for a long time. It made that more than a proclamation Friday, announcing it has signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Length and details of the new deal were not released. In a statement, Mazzulla called his new pact with the team 'a blessing.' 'I would not be here without my faith, my wife, and my children,' Mazzulla said. 'We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad's mentorship, and the support of our staff. Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston.' Mazzulla, 37, is coming off his third season as Boston's coach and has guided the team to the playoffs each season, including the franchise's 18th NBA title to cap the 2023-24 season. He was the youngest head coach to win the NBA Finals since the 1968-69 season, when 35-year-old Bill Russell led the Celtics to the championship as a player-coach. Under Mazzulla, the Celtics have won at least 57 games each of those seasons and topped 60 victories in each of the last two. Though Stevens has never publicly discussed the details of Mazzulla's contract, the coach was initially given an extension shortly after having the interim tag lifted in February 2023. Stevens confirmed in June that Mazzulla had received at least one additional extension prior to his latest one. 'He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans,' Stevens said in a statement. 'He's worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach — including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.' Mazzulla originally joined the Celtics in 2019 and spent the next three seasons as an assistant before being interim head coach after former boss Ime Udoka was suspended by the team prior to the start of the 2022-23 season. ___
an hour ago
Boston Celtics sign coach Joe Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension
BOSTON -- Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens has said throughout the offseason that that team wanted Joe Mazzulla to be its coach for a long time. It made that more than a proclamation Friday, announcing it has signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Length and details of the new deal were not released. In a statement, Mazzulla called his new pact with the team 'a blessing.' 'I would not be here without my faith, my wife, and my children,' Mazzulla said. 'We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad's mentorship, and the support of our staff. Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston.' Mazzulla, 37, is coming off his third season as Boston's coach and has guided the team to the playoffs each season, including the franchise's 18th NBA title to cap the 2023-24 season. He was the youngest head coach to win the NBA Finals since the 1968-69 season, when 35-year-old Bill Russell led the Celtics to the championship as a player-coach. Under Mazzulla, the Celtics have won at least 57 games each of those seasons and topped 60 victories in each of the last two. Though Stevens has never publicly discussed the details of Mazzulla's contract, the coach was initially given an extension shortly after having the interim tag lifted in February 2023. Stevens confirmed in June that Mazzulla had received at least one additional extension prior to his latest one. 'He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans,' Stevens said in a statement. 'He's worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach — including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.' Mazzulla originally joined the Celtics in 2019 and spent the next three seasons as an assistant before being interim head coach after former boss Ime Udoka was suspended by the team prior to the start of the 2022-23 season.
