After the Los Angeles Lakers lost in five games in the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, head coach JJ Redick told the media that the team needs to “get in championship shape.” That comment was widely interpreted as being directed mostly at Luka Doncic.
Doncic was often excellent during the series, but he played poorly in multiple fourth quarters. He has been criticized by many for not being in prime physical condition, and multiple reports have indicated that it was why the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Lakers in February.
Even if Doncic starts to take his fitness and conditioning very seriously, some feel he may not last a very long time as an elite player. On ESPN’s “Get Up,” analyst Jay Williams made an alarming statement about the superstar’s physical condition.
“He has the body of a 40-year-old,” Williams said. ” So when you’ve been in the league and you’ve been a pro for 10-plus years, those are like dog years. You’re not coming into this situation fresh. So can you get your body right, and then how long can it sustain — that’s a big challenge.”
Doncic started playing pro basketball at the age of 13 with Real Madrid’s under-16 team. While that type of experience helped him be ready to excel in the NBA as a 19-year-old rookie during the 2018-19 season, one could argue it put a lot of wear and tear on his body by that point.
He has suffered a number of minor injuries over the last couple of years, which some at least partly attribute to him not being in prime physical shape. However, he still managed to average 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists a game in 28 regular-season contests with the Lakers while scoring over 30 points in three of the five playoff games versus Minnesota.