For years, fans have seen Luka Doncic play himself into peak game shape during the season. He was often criticized for not committing to his physical conditioning ahead of time. In 2026, as he holds the reins with the Lakers, the star player has made a critical change.
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“He’s great physically,” said Lakers head coach J.J. Redick after the Lakers defeated the Kings in a pre-season game. “I mean, the guy worked his b**t off all summer. Staying in shape and actually ran this summer. Like he actually did, like sprints and stuff, and came into camp in fantastic shape.”
Coach Redick also revealed a key change in Doncic’s usual training methodology. He didn’t play a ton of “live basketball” ahead of the season like before. Instead, he was more driven towards improving his cardio and getting into that peak game shape.
There are a few factors that have influenced this drastic shake-up in Doncic’s approach. The Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 after he famously helped the team reach the NBA Finals in 2024.
To many, Doncic appeared indispensable. After all, he put up a roughly 33.9 PPG average throughout the season, becoming the first NBA player to do so in a single season.
However, after his trade, reports suggested that the Mavericks’ staff had become frustrated with his conditioning and physical state. Then general manager Nico Harrison said that the team wanted to strengthen its defensive aspects where Doncic suffered.
Naturally, this took a toll on Luka Doncic, who was criticized for his pre-season physical conditioning. Furthermore, LeBron James exited the Lakers in 2026 specifically because the franchise aimed to build around Doncic.
Therefore, the player now has massive shoes to fill and no time to lag behind.
Luka Doncic’s workout and conditioning routine
After Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers, he likely realized that a change was necessary. In July 2025, when Men’s Health interviewed the athlete, he was already undergoing rigorous training in Croatia.
His 90-minute workouts would involve agility training, shooting drills, and weight training with his trainer, Anže Maček. In fact, this was just one of his two daily workouts.
He would undergo exhausting shooting drills with thick resistance bands attached to his body. His training improves his movement, brings his body into top shape, and exaggerates what he’s already known for – being a fluent shooter.
Fueled by 250 grams of protein a day and an almond milk-based shake, Doncic knows exactly what he feels and looks like. “Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better,” he told Men’s Health.
He also commited to a low-sugar gluten-free diet when he was interviewed. It wasn’t all on a whim either. The player tested his balance, blood, urine, took MRIs, ultrasounds, and more to understand what his body needed.
“So every summer I try my best to work on different things,” he said in the same interview. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.”
Now, the player has brought a similar level of preparedness to the training camp in 2026. He is set to enter the NBA regular season as a better and improved version of himself.
The 2026-27 season will kick off on October 20, 2026. It will be then that Luka Doncic will get to see the results of his hard work pay off in a meaningful way. More importantly, it will be his opportunity to shut down anyone who doubted him before.