LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić is set to embark on his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers. And he’s set to do it with a slimmed-down physique.
After revealing over the summer in a Men’s Health cover story that he had trimmed down with a strict dietary regiment and workout schedule, Dončić took the floor here at the Crypto.com Arena for his typical pregame routine, donning a black hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants.
Dončić and the Lakers tip off their season Tuesday, Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors as part of NBA’s Opening Night. The Lakers will be asking Dončić to carry a heavy load early on; the team will be without star forward LeBron James, who will miss the first few weeks with a sciatica issue.
Perhaps because of James’ injury, it was Dončić who addressed the crowd here prior to tipoff.
“Hello, everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for the support, and let’s go Lakers,” Dončić said to a round of cheers.
That means the Warriors — and L.A.’s opponents for the season opener — might opt to double Dončić and force the ball out of his hands. That’s why the Lakers will be looking to capitalize on quick baskets using Dončić’s passing ability, heaving “throwahead” passes up the court off of rebounds.
“He’s so good at the throwahead to get his teams involved early,” Lakers coach JJ Reddick told reporters Tuesday a little less than two hours before tipoff. “Rui (Hachimura) does a great job, especially early in games of just getting one or two easy baskets. …
“I’ve talked with him a little bit about this, but as a coach, you have to be willing to live a little bit with the daring — you just have to. If it’s part of a player’s DNA, you just have to be willing to live with it.”
Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in 28 appearances with the Lakers last season.
The Mavericks reportedly traded Dončić in a stunning, blockbuster deal last February, in part, because of concerns about his conditioning and physique.
That’s why Lakers brass have to be optimistic about his commitment to his trimmed-down physical shape. Dončić, 26, also played for Slovenia this summer during the EuroBasket circuit, continuing to work on his body.
“Luka, he just feels more like himself on a daily basis,” Lakers coach Reddick said before the game. “And that’s a good thing for our team.”
Clips of Dončić’s new-look physique were posted on social media, during the summer prior to the Men’s Health feature story. In those photos, Dončić appeared to have shed weight and added muscle.
“Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better,” Dončić told the magazine then.
Dončić worked closely in the offseason with a training staff that that included a physiotherapist and nutritionist and said he wanted to be in the best shape of his life for the 2025-26 season.
His dietary regimen included fasting nearly 16 consecutive hours a day while consuming a high-protein, low-carb nutritional program that included whey protein shakes. His workout plan included weight lifting, resistance-band routines, agility and on-court drills.