"Always looked up to him": Lakers coach suggests Luka Doncic's massive body transformation was inspired by LeBron James 

"Always looked up to him": Lakers coach suggests Luka Doncic
"Always looked up to him": Lakers coach suggests Luka Doncic's massive body transformation was inspired by LeBron James (Source: Imagn)

The LA Lakers enter the new season with big expectations, as Luka Doncic and LeBron James prepare for their first full campaign together. Still, much of the buzz has centered on Doncic’s physical transformation, which assistant coach Greg St. Jean suggests was influenced by LeBron himself.

Ad

In an interview with Basketnews.com, St. Jean, who is currently with Doncic and Slovenia at the EuroBasket, shared his thoughts on the guard's impressive transformation:

"You know what? I always find this, iron sharpens iron. You can't help but be motivated to continue to get better at your craft. I think Luka's learned a little bit from every great player he's been around. And I know he's always looked up to LeBron."
Ad

Continuing on the duo, the Lakers coach noted it was a two-way street, with both stars pushing and motivating one another:

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

"I think having those two together is obviously motivating. I think it's two-way motivating as well. I don't think it's just a one-way street. I think LeBron, you can see, is working really hard as well. He's up at 5 a.m., and he's working on his body as well."
Ad

Luka Doncic has made a significant shift this offseason and has focused on his fitness, which was a huge issue in recent seasons. According to multiple reports, the guard has lost more than 31 lbs (14 kg), as he hopes to win his first-ever NBA title this season.

The Lakers made major offseason moves to build the right support system around Doncic. With Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia joining the roster, LA has assembled a strong core, while James continues to provide his leadership and experience to the squad.

Ad

Luka Doncic shares thoughts on becoming face of Lakers with LeBron James entering twilight of career

The LA Lakers have started shifting their focus beyond the LeBron James era, with the four-time champion nearing the twilight of his career. As he enters his 23rd NBA season and the final year of his contract, LA is grooming Doncic to become the face of the franchise, shaping the roster to complement his style of play.

Ad

During an interview with Complex on Saturday, Doncic offered his thoughts on replacing LeBron as the face of the organization.

"Honestly, nothing specific,” Doncic said. “Be the best that I can be and at the end of the day, I’m playing basketball. I wanna win. That’s it. That’s our goal from the start to finish of the season.
Ad

Signing a three-year $165 million extension in August, Doncic is set to stay in Los Angeles for the coming years and will be the face of the Lakers after LeBron's exit.

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Quick Links

Edited by Veer Badani
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications