EuroBasket 2025 tipped off with all the noise you’d expect from Europe’s biggest basketball stage. Poland came ready to test Slovenia, bringing balance, depth, and their own scoring firepower. For a while, it looked like an even fight, both sides trading blows, neither team giving in.

But then the spotlight shifted where it so often does: straight onto Luka Doncic.

This wasn’t just another night of Luka’s usual magic. It was something more layered, more symbolic. A statement about his game, his body, and his future. It was the kind of performance that didn’t just belong to a box score; it sent a ripple across the Atlantic, right to the NBA.

Doncic’s fingerprints were all over Slovenia’s 95-point effort. He finished with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in 36 minutes, shooting 7-of-14 from the field, 3-of-9 from three, and a scorching 17-of-18 from the free-throw line. He also added 2 steals, proving he was engaged on both ends.

The shot profile told its own story. Doncic attacked relentlessly inside the paint, converting 4-of-5 on two-pointers while mixing in tough finishes at the rim. From deep, he was streaky, knocking down a couple from the wings and top of the arc but missing a few, including one from the corner. His midrange was barely touched. It was, in other words, a classic Luka performance: rim pressure, perimeter shooting, and little wasted energy in between.

Yet it wasn’t just the numbers. What stood out most was how Luka Doncic looked while doing it.

For years, conditioning has been Luka’s shadow. Criticism peaked earlier this year when the Dallas Mavericks, his team since day one, shockingly traded him to the Lakers, with defensive concerns cited as a factor, for an All-NBA megastar, which stung.

Doncic responded by transforming his body. This offseason, he dropped about 31 pounds, cutting down from 260 with Dallas to 230 as officially listed by the Lakers. The change came through a strict diet and cardio-first training program. Luka even stepped away from basketball activities for a month, focusing only on his conditioning.

Former player Gilbert Arenas speculated about Ozempic use, but Doncic’s camp credited hard work. The visible results speak for themselves: in EuroBasket prep games, he appeared leaner, quicker, and far more explosive. Against Germany earlier this month, he flashed circus layups and drilled three of his first four from deep. Slovenian teammate Edo Muric summed it up best: the “clear results” of Luka’s transformation are undeniable.

And against Poland, it showed. Every drive to the rim carried more burst. Every defensive rotation looked sharper. Luka Doncic wasn’t just in rhythm; he was in shape.

Prime Luka Doncic Numbers

When Luka is “locked in,” his numbers reach rare air. His 2023-24 season in Dallas was arguably his statistical peak: 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game on 49/38/79 shooting splits. He even dropped 73 points against Atlanta, the kind of game that bends history books.

After the Lakers trade in February 2025, his output dipped slightly but remained elite: 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.6 assists across 28 games. He battled injuries in the playoffs but still posted a 28-7-9 line in Game 5 against Minnesota while playing through a back issue.

Internationally, the résumé is stacked. Forty-seven points against France at EuroBasket 2022. A 48-point Olympic debut vs. Argentina. A triple-double in a qualifying final against Lithuania to punch Slovenia’s Olympic ticket. In FIBA competition, Luka Doncic has already joined the exclusive “200-point club” at a single World Cup.

The opener against Poland slots right into this catalog of dominance. Efficiency, power, and relentless pressure, the prime Luka template.

Slovenia’s box score showed decent balance behind Luka. Edo Muric scored 17, Gregor Hrovat added 15, and Klemen Prepelic chipped in 8 despite a rough shooting night. Big man Alen Omić contributed 7 points and 10 rebounds. Still, Luka Doncic remained the clear centerpiece. His 42 efficiency rating was nearly double that of any teammate.

Poland, to their credit, had stars of their own. Jordan Loyd erupted for 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Mateusz Ponitka added 23 and Aleksander Balcerowski controlled the paint with 11 points and 6 boards. They shot an impressive 59% from the field, but Doncic’s consistency at the line and ability to steady Slovenia’s attack proved the difference in keeping the game competitive.

Beyond EuroBasket, there’s the NBA angle, and it’s massive. Luka Doncic’s trade to the Lakers on February 2, 2025, blindsided him. Mavericks GM Nico Harrison confirmed he wasn’t told until the deal was finalized. For months, whispers swirled about Luka’s unhappiness.

Fast-forward to August, and the story is very different. Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million max extension with Los Angeles, signaling not just acceptance but loyalty. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss admitted Luka was “sad” at first, but praised how he has “embraced the Lakers” and is now “all about L.A.”

Rob Pelinka backed it up, stressing the Lakers had “zero problems” with Luka suiting up for Slovenia and even sending assistant coach Greg St. Jean to join Slovenia’s staff. That kind of support has gone a long way in strengthening trust.

On the floor, chemistry is building with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and new teammates like Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. And with his transformed body, Lakers fans are buzzing about a “revenge tour” season for 2025-26.

Luka Doncic’s 34-point EuroBasket opener against Poland wasn’t just about scoring. It was about a slimmer, sharper Luka proving he can dominate on both ends. It was about conditioning, maturity, and loyalty, to Slovenia, yes, but also to the Lakers.

Slovenia remains competitive because of him, and the Lakers are betting their future on him. EuroBasket 2025 may have just sent the NBA a warning: this is a new, dangerous version of Luka Doncic.

What do you think, will Luka Doncic’s weight loss and EuroBasket form carry into the NBA season, or will the grind of 82 games bring old habits back?