For years, Luka Dončić has been one of the most exciting players in the NBA — an unstoppable offensive force capable of taking over games. But now, the stakes are higher than ever.
After a blockbuster trade sent him from Dallas to the bright lights of Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Dončić finds himself facing an entirely new level of pressure. Since his trade, there have been rumors that the Mavericks were frustrated with Dončić’s conditioning issues. Let’s take a look at the superstar’s weight and whether it’s an issue.
What Does Luka Dončić Weigh?
Since the trade, Dončić has faced several questions about his weight. Dončić denies he has a weight problem, and he claims to be 230 pounds.
As a rookie, the point forward was listed at 218 pounds. However, ever since his sophomore campaign, Dončić’s listed weight has been 230 pounds.
While his listed weight hasn’t changed, there have been reports from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that he ballooned as high as 270 pounds while playing for Dallas.
Dončić developed a reputation for playing his way into shape early in the season, and there has been criticism about his diet and conditioning since he entered the league.
Shaq’s Advice to Luka Dončić: ‘Make ‘Em Shut the F*** Up’
Playing for the Lakers isn’t like playing anywhere else. Every move is scrutinized, every loss is magnified, and for a superstar like Dončić, the expectations are nothing short of championship-or-bust.
On top of that, lingering concerns about his conditioning have only fueled the noise surrounding his arrival in L.A. But if there’s anyone who knows what it takes to thrive under the Lakers’ spotlight, it’s Hall of Famer and former Laker, Shaquille O’Neal.
On a recent episode of “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal didn’t sugarcoat his message to Dončić. He dealt with his share of criticism about weight and conditioning during his playing days, and kept it as blunt as possible.
“Make ‘em shut the f*** up. Get right, get healthy, and take over,” Shaq told him.
Shaq’s advice to Luka Doncic is simple: Make ‘em shut the f*ck up.
Adam & Shaq discuss the Luka Doncic trade as well as the Super Bowl in the newest episode of the Big Pod. Watch now: https://t.co/ChON4acARG pic.twitter.com/HdBHQNljXg
— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) February 7, 2025
Recently on “Inside the NBA,” Shaq defended Luka against all of the criticism about his weight.
“He doesn’t look out of shape to me… When you say out of shape, is he fat? Does he have a six-pack? Are we talking body fat?” Shaq said. “One of my best friends just told me, ‘Fat Luka is better than 99.9% of all the guards in the game.'”
Shaq knows firsthand how relentless the L.A. media and fan base can be. The Lakers have always been under the limelight, and their every move is heavily scrutinized.
O’Neal, who won three championships with the Lakers while battling similar concerns about fitness, essentially told Dončić to control the narrative with his play.
If he wins, if he dominates, the noise will disappear.
Dončić Using Dallas’ Weight and Conditioning Criticism As Motivation
On the morning ahead of Dončić’s first game against the Mavericks, ESPN revealed that, according to an inside source, Dončić is using leaks from within the Dallas organization that they sent him packing due to concerns about his weight and work ethic as motivation. So, it’s safe to assume he’s had this matchup circled on his calendar since the trade.
Whether the reports of his poor conditioning and work ethic while in Dallas held any validity or not doesn’t much matter now, as the newest LA celebrity is putting those narratives to bed now that he’s a Laker.
“A beast was awakened inside him,” according to ESPN’s source. That beast reportedly pushed Dončić to work on his game at an outdoor court with Lakers assistant coach Scott Brooks and work out at his hotel gym while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas during the recent NBA All-Star break — habits that, if you believe the Mavericks’ leaks, were rare at best during his time in Dallas.
As for what the leaks specifically said, it was also ESPN that brought them to light when the trade first broke.
“The Mavericks were motivated to move Dončić because of his constant conditioning concerns, sources told [Tim] MacMahon,” Dave McMenamin wrote. “There had been significant frustration within the organization about Dončić’s lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning, which team sources considered a major factor in his injury issues.”
Regarding how that internal beast has influenced his form on the court, Dončić took a few games to find his feet with the Lakers, averaging just 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over his first three games in the purple and gold. Now, it’s worth noting those were his first outings since returning from a calf injury sustained back in December, and he was on a minutes restriction for the first two.
Nevertheless, Dončić found his footing in a Feb. 22 matchup against the Denver Nuggets, leading the Lakers to a 123-100 win while stuffing the stat sheet with 32 points, 10 boards, seven assists, four steals, and a block. Alongside him, LeBron James poured in 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and a steal, effectively quelling any doubts that the duo could perform as a tandem.
Unfortunately for those fans in it for the drama, the marquee bout between the new-look Lakers and Mavericks won’t feature Anthony Davis, who went down with an adductor injury in his otherwise stellar debut with his new team. Davis’ next chance to take on his former team comes April 9 in Dallas.