The latest offseason physique going viral in NBA circles is of course Stephen Curry. Between golf and some drama surrounding his wife, Steph didn’t go out of shape at all. And LeBron James is still looking fine at the other side of 40. But that’s not new. The guys at ESPN are still not over the four-month transformation Luka Doncic pulled between the Lakers’ elimination in April and that jaw-dropping transformation featured in the Men’s Health cover.

Steph Curry debuted his 17th offseason look, and he’s ripped! Nothing new. But ESPN’s Dave McMenamin couldn’t resist fanboying over two of the biggest superstars still in the league after Malika Andrews asked him which is the biggest rivalry in the NBA today.

“We started this segment talking about the new physique of Steph Curry. Steph Curry and LeBron James. It’s simple. They are the two monolithic figures in today’s game. Four straight Finals appearances about a decade ago. Anyone who tuned in to Christmas Day last year can recognize they still make it must-see TV and their rivalry is not a renewable resource. There’s limited amount of opportunities that we have left to see these two guys still battle it out. And so anytime the Warriors and Lakers are playing, you got to tune in. That’s the best rivalry in today’s NBA.”

Tim MacMahon had to steer the conversation away from on-court rivalry to a different one. “I mean, look, it’s not even the best rivalry with the Lakers. Forget Steph’s new physique. Steph’s been in shape his whole career. Let’s talk about Luka’s new physique.” Oh yes, indeed we did, Tim. That Men’s Health cover and the ensuing revenge tour was hard to miss.

He was traded from the Mavericks to Lakers in February when the chatter about him being out of shape got loudest. After the Lakers got eliminated from the playoffs, Doncic hit the gym and in July, we see Luka 2.0 on the cover. Three months later, McMahon is not over it.

The offseason buzz around Luka Doncic swirled endlessly with familiar doubts about his conditioning. Critics pointed to his past battles with weight, defensive lapses, and the physical toll of carrying massive minutes as a primary ball-handler. The trade itself fueled the fire, with some in his camp citing “humiliation” over questions about his work ethic as the spark for change. Then, reports emerged of Doncic shedding around 31 pounds through a strict diet, cardio regimen, and a deliberate month off the court to rebuild his body from the ground up. Enter—’Lean Luka’.

EuroBasket 2025 became the perfect proving ground. Doncic arrived in Latvia looking sharper and more explosive, his frame streamlined to handle the tournament’s relentless pace. In the opener against Poland, he erupted for 34 points, nine assists, and a tournament-record five steals, including 17 made free throws, the most in a EuroBasket game since 2005. It was a statement: the old complaints about fading late or struggling against physical defenses didn’t apply anymore. Even in a 42-point clinic over Italy during the Round of 16, where he dragged Slovenia forward despite a brief injury scare, his body held up. That tweak, which he downplayed as needing “therapy, but I’ll be fine,” barely slowed him.

So it’s not a surprise that McMahon declared a new and improved Luka Doncic vs the Mavericks as the latest biggest rivalry in the NBA.

Luka Doncic created the best storyline of the NBA

“Did you see the men’s health cover? Did you see that snug sweater he was wearing the other day? Looked all sleek. Luka against the Maverick sweater,” Tim MacMahon had to remind us. Or muddle our memories. He goes on about a sweater but all we remember is a slimmer and ripped Doncic in a Jordan Brand basketball fit.

He’s right about one thing though. “The sweater and Luka are on the same page. Him and the Mavericks clearly were not. Him and Nico Harrison clearly were not.” We’re not just looking forward to Luka’s revenge tour and first full season in Purple & Gold. We’re anticipating the first Lakers-Mavs matchup to go in Doncic’s favor.

This player vs his entire former franchise is building up to a bigger rivalry than Steph Curry and LeBron James. As MacMahon so eloquently put it, “the Mavericks were coming out here the day after Thanksgiving. The Lakers will be in Dallas in late January for the first time. And you remember when Luca went back last year? Oh, he lit him up something fierce. Standing ovation when he checked out going right into fire. Nico Chance. It’s a rivalry, but Maverick’s fans are more on Luca’s side than the home team.”

He’s right that Dallas really adores Doncic though there’s a fair bit of excitement about Cooper Flagg. While the Doncic-Mavs storyline will be the dominant topic when they are face-to-face, most of this season will be about Flagg’s rookie campaign in Dallas with Curry and James’ former oncourt partners.

Bron as usual shared his intensive workouts in the offseason on Instagram regularly. Curry’s a little surprising because of the added bulk he seemingly put on. Before training camp begins, it appears 37-year-old Steph’s added a few pounds to handle the physical play. As McNenamin said, there’s a limited window left for these two superstars. Doncic’s just starting to, but The King and The Chef have made adapting to the changing landscape of the NBA a habit.