The NBA has one of its biggest stars in 23-year-old Slovenian Luka Doncic. With qualities that have led him to be in the All-Star Game for three consecutive years, the figure of the Dallas Mavericks and Slovenia also has an Achilles heel: his physical shape.
It is no secret that, for example, for the start of last season, Doncic had a summer of complacency that saw him arrive in unathletic shape with the Mavericks: "I had a long summer. I had the Olympics, took three weeks off, and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I've just got to get back on track," Luka stated at the time according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
So, with that background, Luka Doncic didn't let the summer get the better of him again. He turned to a mastermind that helped him look in great shape in Slovenia's preparation games for Euro Basket 2022. Inertia that would carry over to the start of the upcoming NBA season with Dallas.
Luka Doncic's weight loss plan
The Ljubljana-born point guard owes his new athletic shape to an expert: Anze Macek, coach of the Slovenian National Team, who answered his call for help so that the summer wouldn't take its toll on him like last year.
"Shortly after the end of the season, he contacted me and said that he wanted to start conditioning immediately. Together with Goran Dragić, they worked for three weeks. The national team action followed. When he went on vacation, he asked me for a work plan. He remains active. I am in contact with him almost on a daily basis. He keeps his shape. He will upgrade everything in the national team trainings, where he will prepare for maximum efforts.”, stated Macek to Martin Pavcnik of SportKlub, via Clutch Points.
For starters, the fact that Slovenia will participate in Euro Basket 2022 is something that could benefit the Mavericks, because the more Doncic and his team advance, the closer they would be to Dallas for the start of the NBA. Hopefully with the physical inertia that will allow him to be the team's strong man, especially after the departure of Jalen Brunson.