Latest news with #JavierBarrio
New York Times
29-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
The Lakers are about to get the best version of Luka Dončić. But first he's committed to himself
If you were on the internet Monday, you saw the pictures, the proof of Luka Dončić's offseason dedication plainly obvious. Sixteen hours a day, six days of week, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar didn't eat, saving all his meals for an eight-hour window. Dončić put the basketball away, spending one month after the worst basketball season of his NBA life ended, and gave himself completely over to his training team, who got to work on strength and conditioning. He was intentional with the meals he consumed and the movement on the court and in the weight room that he took. Advertisement And, here in the final week of July, the initial results are visible in an incredibly public way. Dončić — once the punchline to fat jokes, the guy who cracked beers and broke opponents' ankles, the player who Dallas publicly bet against and privately disparaged — is on the cover of Men's Health Magazine. The lines separating the muscles on his tanned arms are sharp. The cushion around his bearded jaw line has evaporated. His physique has been completely redone thanks in no small part to the work of Anže Maček and Javier Barrio, the drivers of his physical wellness team. Our digital cover star, Luka Doncic, ready to take his game (and the Lakers) to new levels of dominance. And this summer shred has been years in the — Men's Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) July 28, 2025 But if you just see a shrinking Dončić, you're missing the bigger picture. This, the body, the publicity, the determined look in his eyes, the sweat reflecting the spotlights, it's all part of a bigger plan. That plan, according to some around Dončić, was going to be fulfilled no matter what happened in his pro career. To everyone else, it's so clearly a response to the humiliation and pain caused by the Dallas Mavericks' decision to cast him away from the city where he'd planned on spending the entirety of his career. Maybe, when you see the magazine pictures, you see skinny Luka. Maybe you see someone ready to unleash Kill Bill rage on the NBA with one of the game's most noticeable revenge bodies. But, maybe, you should step back and see how everything that's happened over the past few years has led Dončić to this place, a perfect storm allowing the Lakers to get him at a time when he's never been more committed. There's little suspense around the team and the league surrounding Dončić's intentions this weekend, when he can sign some version of an extension with the Lakers. The timing of all of this, though, is a signal to the NBA that this version of Dončić is ready to reclaim his spot as one of the best in the world — if not singularly. Advertisement The magazine spread (and three accompanying stories) dropped Monday as Dončić began a bit of a summer tour of the United States, beginning with multiple appearances in New York City before a one-day stop in Chicago and ending, most importantly, in Los Angeles. Not coincidentally, the stop in L.A. coincides perfectly with Aug. 2 — the date Dončić can sign a contract extension with the Lakers to formalize a partnership that the organization has eagerly been planning for since it acquired him for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick on Feb. 1. A link up with @TheJudge44 for Luka's first time at Yankee Stadium 🤝@luka7doncic | @Lakers | @Yankees — NBA (@NBA) July 29, 2025 When Dončić arrived in Los Angeles, he hadn't played in more than a month. He was noticeably out of shape, carrying a combination of extra weight and extra stress from a midseason trade that uprooted him and his young family from the one American city they'd ever lived. Some sources in Dončić's inner circle believed he was on the path toward this kind of physical transformation whether or not Dallas general manager Nico Harrison had bet against him. Dončić and his management team began working with Maček and Barrio in 2023. One year later, he helped carry the Mavericks to the NBA Finals and immediately followed that by playing for his national team in Slovenia's failed bid to make the Paris Olympics. The belief among Dončić's team was, to some degree, that as he matured as an NBA professional, he'd adopt some better habits and completely buy into a stricter strength and conditioning program instead of the more competition-driven approach he'd been comfortable with. But improvement isn't always linear, and Dončić suffered a number of physical setbacks in 2024 that certainly made it easier for the Mavericks to explore options other than handing him a blank check mega-extension. Whether Dončić would've been the same quality of fitness model had he not been traded is sort of irrelevant. Same if you think the driving reason for this change is to stick it to the Mavericks for trading him (and justifying it by highlighting his weaknesses) or if they came at a moment where he had the most financial motivation And depending on how he structures this extension, it could be the precursor to the richest deal in NBA history in 2028 (when he could hit free agency after 10 years of league service). Advertisement Ultimately, all that matters is that this is the version Dončić is now — a perfect storm for the Lakers where they're getting a player at a time when he has the most reasons to commit himself to his craft, to his new team and to the promise that he's the league's most talented player. His approach this summer, from shedding weight to adding strength to recruiting new teammates, shows who Dončić is as a player and as a pillar of the Lakers now as much as any cover shoot could. But the pictures that dropped Monday weren't subtle. Whether it's revenge, maturity or timing, it's not difficult to see that the Lakers are about to get the best version of Dončić. And that, they think, will be worth every penny. (Photo of Dončić and Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge: New York Yankees / Getty Images)
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luka Doncic started doing two-a-day workouts after Lakers lost in 2025 NBA Playoffs
For months and perhaps years, Luka Doncic has been criticized for his lack of fitness and conditioning. A good amount of that criticism seemed to come from the Dallas Mavericks after they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1, perhaps as their attempt to justify what most considered a brain-dead trade. But by all accounts, ever since the Lakers lost in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Doncic has been working hard to get into the best shape he has been in since early in his career. He looks noticeably slimmer this summer, and according to one report, he has been "incredibly committed to his conditioning" while adopting a strict diet. Javier Barrio, a physiotherapist, told Men's Health magazine that Doncic started doing two workouts a day with trainer Anze Macek right after the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Lakers, and that he wanted to start transforming his body right then and there. "His goal this year?" wrote Andrew Heffernan. "Come into his first full season as a Laker in the best shape of his life. In three months. "No big deal. "Macek took charge of the workouts—except Sundays, Dončić hit two per day, with plenty of lifting, mobility, and court drills. But fueling the 6'7' point guard as he underwent this Rocky-style transformation may have been an even tougher job: a chemistry experiment where all the elements not only had to fulfill a specific function, but also taste great and make sense to Luka as he learned the ropes of performance nutrition. 'He's 26, and it's a learning process,' says Barrio. "It helped that their client was motivated. Luka's final game with the Lakers was April 30th; days later he was on the plane to his native Slovenia. 'He arrived May fifth, and said, I want to start immediately,' recalls Barrio. And he did: right around the time you'd forgive a pro athlete for kicking back with pizza and a few beers, Luka went low-carb." Doncic reportedly had a habit of enjoying his beer and hookah over the years. But he has apparently accepted a more balanced diet and health regimen, especially after all the playoff losses he has endured through seven NBA seasons. It was just one calendar year ago that Doncic and the Mavericks lost in the championship series to the Boston Celtics, which made it clear that he wasn't well-conditioned enough to take home basketball's grand prize. The criticism hit a crescendo when the Lakers fell flat on their faces in the playoffs a few months ago, and it seemed to culminate with coach JJ Redick telling the media that the team needed to get into "championship shape." Most interpreted that comment as being directed squarely at Doncic, even though Redick never mentioned Doncic by name when making the comment. But the Slovenian superstar is apparently doing his part, and it could mean lots of trouble for the rest of the league. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic started doing two-a-day workouts after 2025 playoffs
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
The tiniest deer species in the world is the most adorable thing you will find on the internet today!
Nature has a vast expanse and within this lies detailed puzzles that are pinned away in misty forests, deep oceans, and rugged mountains. Despite centuries of research, the natural world still holds secrets that have continued to amaze scientists time and again. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now May it be camouflaged insects looking like leaves to fish that glow in the darkest depths. And one of these adorable beings remains hidden in the Andes Mountains, that lie along the western edge of South America. These peaks are home to a massive variety of flora and fauna, many of which exist nowhere else on Earth. A new species of deer has been identified for the first time in over six decades that will surely win your hearts with its adorable appearance. In March 2024, a discovery was announced in the Journal of Mammalogy, which said that a new species of deer had been found in the Andes Mountains of northern Peru. Named Pudella carlae , the species is the first new cervid to be formally described in South America in over 60 years. The discovery was led by a multinational team of researchers from Peru, Brazil, and Chile, with Guillermo D'Elía of the Universidad Austral de Chile at the helm. World's smallest deer The tiny deer belongs to the pudu genus, which includes the world's smallest deer. Measuring just 38 centimeters tall and weighing between 7 and 9 kilograms, that is equal to the weight of a dog species ,Jack Russell terrier. Pudella carlae belongs between the two known pudu species in terms of size. Its coat is a noticeably rustier brown, with a paler head and ears, setting it apart from its relatives. The species was first brought to light when team member Javier Barrio spotted a group of unusual mini-deer during fieldwork. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Intrigued, the researchers compared museum specimens and conducted genetic testing to confirm the distinctiveness of the species. Their findings revealed not only physical and genetic differences but also a unique distribution. Pudu's home Pudella carlae is native to the Huancabamba Depression, a 50-kilometer-wide, arid river valley that slices through the northern Andes. The region is already known for its extraordinary inhouse biodiversity, and this latest addition is a gem to its ecological importance. In honor of Peruvian biologist Carla Gazzolo, who has contributed significantly to the region's biodiversity studies, the species was named Pudella carlae. The Pudu is a rare and endangered species The species have low population numbers and are classified as 'Near Threatened' or 'Vulnerable' due to habitat loss, hunting, and fragmentation. The Northern Pudu, native to Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, is particularly elusive and sparsely distributed. With the recent discovery of Pudella carlae in Peru, the number of known pudu species has grown to three.
