Lakers GM Rob Pelinka sends strong message to support Luka Doncic as he declares “zero problems” with Slovenian superstar’s EuroBasket duties

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka sends strong message of support to Luka Doncic as he declares “zero problems” with Slovenian superstar’s EuroBasket duties (Image Source: @kzs_si/X)
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka sends strong message of support to Luka Doncic as he declares “zero problems” with Slovenian superstar’s EuroBasket duties (Image Source: @kzs_si/X)

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka supported Luka Doncic for playing for the national team of Slovenia at EuroBasket 2025 after fans expressed concern about a potential injury.

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Pelinka and team governor Jeanie Buss traveled to Poland to visit Doncic ahead of the EuroBasket opener. It was a strong show of support for their star player, who is expected to become the face of the franchise in the next era.

When asked whether he had any problems with his star player spending the summer playing for his national team, Pelinka said:

"Zero problems.I mean, it's just something that we believe in for the Lakers organization and their leadership, and obviously, their executives have been great. It's been a collaborative partnership with them.
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"We had one of our Los Angeles Lakers coaches, Coach Greg St. Jean, added to the staff just for support. So we'll continue to support Luka throughout his career so he can do great things for the Lakers and for the Slovenian national team.”
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Much has been said about the Lakers star's physique which led to Doncic shedding a lot of weight ahead of the next season. The star signed a three-year max contract extension to stay in purple and gold until at least 2028.

Rob Pelinka gushes over Luka Doncic’s impressive body transformation

Luka Doncic has undergone a stunning body transformation during the offseason. The Lakers superstar reportedly lost 31 pounds, per Slovenian POP TV.

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His overall game looks sharper on both ends of the floor during the EuroBasket preparation games, particularly in his outing against Latvia, where he scored 15 points in the first quarter.

Rob Pelinka was impressed with Doncic's new look and had positive things to say about it.

"He's in great shape, really committed to working hard this summer," Pelinka told reporters, per Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. "And to be able to watch that in person was worth flying over the ocean to be with him."
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Luka Doncic offered a different perspective when asked whether he’s doing anything different on the court with the new training regimen and conditioning.

"Honestly, nothing different. Just probably less tired, a little bit quicker," Doncic said to the media ahead of the EuroBasket opener. "Nothing specific. At the end of the day, I want to win games and help my team achieve more."

Doncic and Slovenia open their EuroBasket tournament against Poland on Thursday. Their group opponents also include Iceland, Belgium, France and Israel. They won just one of five preparation games in the lead-up to the tournament.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
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