Luka Dončić is reportedly in his best physical shape in ages, a massive relief for Lakers fans who have watched two seasons get derailed by injury. The 2026-27 season is set to kick off late next month, and the superstar is clearly putting in the work to be ready.
The Injury Gauntlet Dončić Has Faced
Let’s be real, the guy’s been through it since landing in LA. During his year and a half with the Lakers, Dončić has battled a pair of serious injuries that absolutely stomped on his momentum each season. When he first arrived in Los Angeles via a midseason trade from the Dallas Mavericks, he was already nursing a strained left calf. That kept him off the court for six weeks, including his entire first week as a Laker. Last season was no better, with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain hitting him in early April. That meant missing the final week and a half of the regular season and, even worse, the entirety of the Lakers’ three-week playoff run. Brutal.
A New Training Regimen and a Sharp Focus
But get this: Dončić has been grinding hard in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Martin Pavcnik, writing for the Slovenian news outlet SportKlub, dropped the intel, and it’s sounding legit. Luka just entered the final phase of his primary individual training. After a quick break, he’s been hitting the weight room and the basketball court, splitting his time. While he’s not doing full-intensity drills or contact play just yet, the primary objective has been the complete rehabilitation of all his past injuries, followed by comprehensive physical conditioning. His longtime personal trainer, Anže Maček, has been spearheading this effort, and they’ve reportedly crushed it. The Lakers superstar is in better physical shape than he’s been in a long time, with his body weight reportedly hovering around a target range of 105 kilograms. He’s also increasingly entrusting the management of his life to his agent, Lara Beth, and is expected to stay in Europe until September 20th.
The Lakers will open their regular season on October 21st at home against the Golden State Warriors. They’re banking on this rigorous regimen to keep Dončić upright for the long haul and prevent any prolonged absences. The real test of this foundation, built over weeks and months, is still to come. Can he finally stay on the court all season?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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