The Mavericks have expressed their desire for a transformation in Luka Doncic. Despite his outstanding performance, recognition as an All-NBA first team player, and consideration as a top MVP contender, the Dallas Mavericks staff is urging Doncic to shed some weight and improve his physical condition for the upcoming 2023-24 season, as reported by The Athletic’s Tim Cato. Cato reveals that the Mavericks have requested Doncic to lower his preferred playing weight during the summer break.
Critics have often scrutinized the 24-year-old superstar for entering seasons seemingly out of shape in recent years. Following his participation in the Tokyo Olympics representing the Slovenian national team in 2021, Doncic reportedly arrived at the training camp weighing 260 pounds, significantly higher than his preferred playing weight of 230 pounds. However, Cato believes that Doncic’s involvement in the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he will represent his home country once again, will help him maintain his fitness and enter the training camp in optimal shape.
Writing in The Athletic, Cato expresses his confidence that Doncic will commence the next season in the best physical condition of his career, but he acknowledges that sustaining this level of fitness throughout the grueling NBA season is the true challenge. Cato believes that success will not be measured solely by the number of stairs climbed or weights lifted during the summer; it will be determined by Doncic’s commitment to maintaining healthy habits during the mentally and physically demanding grind of the NBA season.
Doncic has already hinted at his commitment to slimming down by sharing videos of himself running stairs on social media shortly after the season ended. Regardless of his weight, Doncic has consistently demonstrated his ability to dominate the game in ways few others have accomplished. During the previous season, he boasted a career-best field goal percentage of 49.6 percent. However, despite his individual achievements, Doncic couldn’t lead the Mavericks to the playoffs.
Throughout the 2022-23 season, Doncic achieved impressive statistics, averaging 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. While the team fell short of playoff qualification last season, the Mavericks have proven they can be a formidable competitor in the Western Conference with Doncic as their leader, as demonstrated by their appearance in the 2022 Western Conference Finals.
Considering the Mavericks’ depleted supporting cast following the Kyrie Irving trade last season, their championship aspirations heavily rely on Doncic’s conditioning and ability to remain on the court throughout the entire year.
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