Lakers star Luka Doncic admits taking inspiration from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant this offseason

Luka Doncic saw his move to the Los Angeles Lakers as the perfect opportunity to revive his career. Despite the surprise departure from the Dallas Mavericks, he quickly adapted to head coach JJ Redick’s roster. He focused on his fitness, reaching a solid 230 pounds early in his time with the franchise. Now, Luka revealed that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have served as his inspirations during this offseason.

In his recent interview with Men’s Health magazine, Luka Doncic confessed that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have inspired his physical transformation. He pointed out that both legends made significant sacrifices during their careers. His physical transformation echoes JJ Redick’s end-of-season remarks, where he emphasized the necessity for all players to be in championship shape.

His physical transformation follows a challenging 2024-25 season filled with criticism and rumors surrounding his alleged poor habits. Despite denying these reports, he found the most effective way to silence his critics was through a remarkable physical transformation. Embracing Kobe Bryant‘s relentless work ethic is strategic, as it inspires players like Kyrie Irving to adopt the ‘Mamba Mentality’.

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant left a lasting legacy through their unmatched dedication and work ethic

Michael Jordan‘s rise to legendary status was not driven solely by his natural talent, but also by his unparalleled work ethic. His personal trainer, Tim Grover, described the impressive discipline that the Bulls legend applied to his daily routine. “Michael would shut down everything outside of basketball and just train. Three workouts a day: workout, golf break, workout, lunch, golf break, workout, dinner, bed. Every day,” he said, via Basketball Network.

Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles during a 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Though often overlooked in GOAT debates, Kobe Bryant also forged a legendary career through sheer hard work, transforming his legacy into an entire culture. His former teammate, Ronald Artest, shared insights into Bryant’s commitment on the Gil’s Arena podcast. “When I got with Kobe in 2009-10, I was like Wow. He would be in the gym at 6 am, like, serious. Actually there at 5:30, cos he’d start at 6.”

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Fans react to Luka Doncic’s impressive physical transformation ahead of the upcoming NBA season with the Lakers

Luka Doncic reveals what really caused his conditioning issues earlier in his career

Since joining the Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic has consistently turned heads with his impressive natural talent and on-court dominance. However, discussions often overlooked his physical conditioning, which was not initially his strongest suit. Early in almost every season, he visibly grappled with this aspect of his game. In a recent interview with Men’s Health, Doncic shed light on the reasons behind his conditioning challenges.

Doncic revealed that during the offseason, he received minimal help from the Mavericks’ coaching staff and nutritionists. He further explained that the NBA’s rigorous travel schedule left him with little time to adjust his diet. Now, his visible physical transformation gives fans hope that he will adopt the relentless work ethic and habits of icons like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant throughout his professional career.