NBA: Doncic physical shape attracts praise ahead of EuroBasket
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic looked in excellent physical condition as he helped Slovenia to a 90-71 friendly victory over Italy.
Luka Doncic is back. The Slovenian is with his national team getting ready for the upcoming EuroBasket, which will take place in September and will be full of NBA stars, such as Doncic and last season’s MVP, Serbia’s Nikola Jokic.
Doncic played 24 minutes in Slovenia’s friendly against Italy on Saturday. The Dallas Mavericks point guard registered 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, earning a player rating of 11. A good display in which he looked in great physical shape and linked up well with his team-mates. With just over two months to go until EuroBasket, that’s positive news for the Slovenians, who are among the chief contenders to come away from the tournament with a medal.
Svelte Doncic hits ground running after summer off
It was Doncic’s physique that attracted the most comment after Slovenia’s 90-71 win over the Italians. The 23-year-old looked sharp, strong, agile and quick, in contrast with previous preseason periods, when he has appeared overweight.
On social media, there was praise for the way Doncic has looked after his body since 26 May, when he made his final appearance of the 2021/22 campaign (Game 5 of the Mavericks’ Playoffs defeat to the Golden State Warriors). The Slovenian’s professionalism over previous summers has been a major source of criticism aimed at him, but it appears he has changed his habits.