Luka Dončić’s Transformative Summer: A New Peak in Performance and Leadership
A focused Luka Dončić during an intense summer training session. (Image via Instagram/@lukadoncic or team photographer)
Much has been said this offseason about Luka Dončić’s dramatic physical transformation — and for good reason. After committing to a strict diet and grueling gym sessions throughout the summer, the Dallas Mavericks star showed up leaner, sharper, and more focused than ever. His dedication didn’t just result in aesthetic change; it translated directly to performance on the court, especially during the EuroBasket tournament.
Dončić averaged 34.7 points per game in EuroBasket — the highest since 1989. (Photo: FIBA/EuroBasket 2025)
Representing Slovenia, Dončić delivered an electrifying performance, averaging an astonishing 34.7 points per game — the highest in the tournament since the legendary Nikos Galis in 1989. Despite Slovenia’s painful quarterfinal exit at the hands of Germany, Dončić’s individual brilliance left no doubt: he is operating on a different level.
Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka took notice, and in a recent statement, he offered strong support for Dončić’s offseason efforts.
“When players play basketball in the burner — I support it,” said Pelinka, referring to high-intensity, high-pressure environments like EuroBasket. “In the sense of leadership, that kind of experience is invaluable.”
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka praised Dončić’s leadership and calculated summer work. (Photo: NBA.com or Lakers official site)
Pelinka acknowledged that summer basketball in the U.S. often leans toward personal workouts, sometimes lacking the team-based intensity that international competition offers. “You could say that, to some extent, summer basketball work in the United States is personal. The group environment can be lost. There is always a risk in everything,” he said. “But Luka approached his summer preparation in a very calculated way.”
The results speak for themselves. Pelinka continued, “You can see that he is in his best version when he’s in a competitive environment. That’s simply what drives him.”