Life comes at you fast and life in the NBA is even faster. Fame comes along as a packaged deal for athletes in that NBA life. It doesn’t take your permission, fame just imposes itself and pulls the athlete into the spotlight, even beyond the court. While some get accustomed to it, others remain camera-shy despite having years of paparazzi knowledge. One such star is the Mavericks player Luka Doncic, whose secrets got spilled during the promotional tour to China. The point guard candidly spoke about his dislikes and addictions, lesser known to the rest of the world.

Doncic joined his fellow NBA stars Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero to promote the Jordan Brand that they all represent. In a video uploaded by Overtime, Doncic is seen scaling the Great Wall of China with the promotion crew and that’s where the revelations happened.

“Do you like being famous?,” a brand representative asked Doncic. The Slovenian did not mince his words. The unfiltered “No” took less than a second. However, he didn’t stop at that. Doncic further claimed that he would’ve preferred if no cameras were there during the games he plays as he is not a fan of being followed. When asked whether he would like to play basketball without any cameras, Doncic replied with a simple “yes.” He could’ve been tacitly indicating the aspect he doesn’t like about the NBA.

Doncic also revealed his hidden passion. The interviewer told Doncic that he had heard the guard liked playing chess and asked for confirmation. “Yeah. Chess, a lot of cards,” Doncic responded. Like any other fan, the interviewer was curious to know more. When asked about the card games he plays, Doncic said, “Oh, plenty.” He named Rummy, Poker, and Blackjack as some of his favorites.

During the confession in front of the camera, Doncic was observed struggling to catch his breath. Now after such a steep climb, that was bound to happen but it could also be a hint confirming the controversy around his weight gain.

While in China, Luka Doncic came under scrutiny for weight gain

Comparing Doncic’s pictures from his rookie season to those from now, as he enters his seventh season, it’s clear that his physique has undergone a noticeable transformation. This came to light after recent data circulating on X revealed the 25-year-old’s poor dunking abilities. He scored only two dunks last season. In comparison, Doncic made 25 dunks as an NBA rookie. The reason behind the dip has been attributed to his weight gain.

The news came out as a nightmare to the Mavericks fanbase. They were shocked to hear that their star player has supposedly reached 280 lbs. However, the claims haven’t been proved yet. Even if the claims are true, Doncic proved last season that he doesn’t need to dunk to be at the top of his game. Instead, with his remarkable performances, Doncic has won the hearts of many hoop enthusiasts. In fact, it was the Slovenian maestro who led the Dallas Mavericks to the first finals since 2011.

Even with his increased bulk, Luka Doncic is more than capable of unlocking opposition defenses. As exemplified by his alley-oop connection with Zion Williamson during the tour. So, Mavs fans can relax and enjoy the Luka show when Doncic is in the upcoming season.

What do you think about Doncic’s weight? Will it affect his performance this season? Let us know in the comments.