Luka Doncic revamps diet amidst rampant criticism

A new Luka?

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Luka Doncic's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was arguably the most stunning transaction of the decade in the NBA. He received a ton of attention with the Dallas Mavericks, but the spotlight is brighter than ever now that he plays for one of the most storied franchises in sports.

Biting back at the narrative

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Doncic has long been criticized for his conditioning coming into and during the NBA season. He appears dedicated to changing that perception, as he told Men's Health in July 2025 that he has converted to a gluten free, low sugar diet that includes a lot of protein.

A different kind of shot

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Doncic received a lot of flack for how he prepared to play in games even during his highest moments with the Dallas Mavericks.

Lamenting Luka

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Los Angeles Lakers legend Michael Cooper gave a scathing critique of Doncic on his podcast, 'Showtime with Coop'.

Start, bench, cut

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Cooper was playing a classic opinion game where he had to pick who he would start, bench and cut between Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving. Even though he didn’t cut Doncic, he had some choice words for his perceived lack of effort on defense.

The remarks

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

“Luka gives you that triple-double about almost every night, but he’s too slow for me. If he wasn’t a scorer, I would cut him. I give him credit for that, but to me, he’s lazy. Doesn’t hustle back on defense.”

Deep burn

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

It’s one thing to criticize the skills of certain NBA players, pointing out their limitations when it comes to their ability to play the game. However, Cooper elected to call out Doncic’s desire on one end of the floor, which is generally something that resonates a little deeper with players and fans.

Polar opposites

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

It’s possible that Michael Cooper felt the need to passionately call out Doncic’s lack of defensive chops because of his own background in the NBA. Cooper was one of the best defenders in the NBA in the 1980s.

Resume

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Cooper won NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the 1986-1987 season, and was an eight-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team. Seeing a lack of effort on defense might irk him more than many other observers.

Going that extra step

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

There are a lot of NBA players who aren’t as athletic as their counterparts, which makes the idea of Doncic’s slow-moving agility a little more forgivable. But accusing a player of not trying hard enough is something Cooper must have thought about before saying on his podcast.

A common theme

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

The fact of the matter is, Doncic and defense aren’t often spoken about in the same sentence, unless it involves speaking about him as a liability on that end. SB Nation wrote in June 2024 about his “terrible defense as an anchor weighing down” the Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

No Kidd-ing around

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd offered an honest assessment of Doncic’s defensive performance in the 2024 NBA Finals. Mass Live’s website quoted Kidd as saying, “Yeah, he’s definitely got a bullseye on his chest. He’s got to be able to guard and understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat.”

No rest for the weary

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

Kidd also said that about the Celtics offensive attack, “They’re putting him in every pick-and-roll and iso. He’s got to be able to play the game where he can rest on offense and let others carry the load.”

Conditioning

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons has often mentioned Doncic’s conditioning over the years, and said that it doesn’t seem like it’s up to par for a superstar of his caliber. “I’d like to introduce him to a couple salads and maybe some sparkling water and some fruit,” Simmons said on his podcast.

Admitting lackluster cardio

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

In 2021, TNT analyst and NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller called Doncic out for “plodding up and down the court,” suggesting that he needed to “trim down.” Doncic responded to Sports Illustrated that year by saying, “I had a long summer. I had the Olympics, took three weeks off and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I’ve just got to get back on track.”

Miller doubles down

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

In April 2023, Miller once again called out Doncic’s fitness. According to the New York Post, Miller said, “Luka’s got to get in better shape. They’ve got to run more… Jason Kidd wants them to play faster, but when Luka’s in there, they can’t play fast. To me, if he’s in better shape… that puts more pressure on the opposing team.”

Old school

A new Luka?, Biting back at the narrative, A different kind of shot, Lamenting Luka, Start, bench, cut, The remarks, Deep burn, Polar opposites, Going that extra step, A common theme, No Kidd-ing around, No rest for the weary, Conditioning, Admitting lackluster cardio, Miller doubles down, Old school

This isn’t the first time Michael Cooper has made critical comments about a current NBA star. In October 2023, he blasted LeBron James after eating on the bench during a preseason game. “Have respect for the game,” Cooper advised James, according to USA Today.

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