The criticism of Luka Doncic’s weight at the start of the NBA season was duly noted, and the preseason MVP favorite has been “unstoppable” since hearing the noise, according to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
For the second straight season, the Mavs superstar was accused of showing up for camp out of shape.
Doncic admits that he “maybe” relaxed “too much” after leading Slovenia on a deep run at the Tokyo Olympics. But the 22-year-old vowed to “trim down” and “do better”—and has done exactly that, as he’s reportedly at a weight similar to his rookie year.
The Mavs were 17-18 at the end of December, with Doncic playing in just 21 games and averaging 25.6 points, 8.5 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and a -4.0 plus/minus.
Since the start of the calendar year, the team is 18-6 and is being carried by Doncic’s 29.3 points, 9.4 assists, 10.3 rebounds per game, and 9.1 plus/minus. Also, he hasn’t missed a game since January 7.
“I think he was humbled a little bit,” Cuban said. “I think he didn’t like being called out for his weight and other things, and it finally clicked that there’s a level of discipline that’s required.
“All athletes at his level go through it at some level, where things are just easy and you’re always used to being the best and you’re always used to getting all the accolades.
“Then when something doesn’t go according to expected, it makes you reconsider.
“He knows what he needs to do, and it finally clicked that if he’s going to be the best–and I know he wants to be the best–there’s certain things he has to control.
“Once he got a handle on those things, it’s just been ‘Katie, bar the door.’ He’s just been unstoppable.”
