Unveiling Doncic's intense summer: Intermittent fasting + high-intensity training aiming for all-around improvement and championship glory

On September 20th Beijing time, Doncic clearly lost weight this past summer and showed outstanding physical form during EuroBasket. Lakers officials flew to Europe to back this superstar, and Doncic openly declared his ambition to guide the Lakers to a title. ESPN’s detailed report reveals the specifics —

The intermittent fasting regimen was temporarily halted for a few hours at that time.

At a restaurant in Katowice, Poland, dishes were served one after another — Jeanie Buss ordered a salad, Pelinka chose fish, and the person they had traveled over 6,000 miles to meet ordered a steak with vegetables plus a salad. During this lengthy lunch at the end of August, the Lakers’ accompanying representatives sent a clear message:Whatever matters to Doncic is equally important to them.

This 26-year-old superstar is preparing to face challenges with a newly lean physique — the result of months of intense training and strict dietary control, including a daily 16-hour fasting window.At that time, he was competing for the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket, with only one month remaining until the NBA training camp for the next season began.

The Lakers explicitly expressed support for Doncic’s participation in EuroBasket, with a clear and unwavering stance.

“Luka holds deep pride and gratitude for his hometown and representing his country,” Pelinka told ESPN. “I believe that in our relationship with players, the Lakers always aim to focus on what they are passionate about, understand their individual pursuits, and fully support those matters. So, when it came to backing Luka, we had no hesitation in making a cooperative decision.”

Besides building trust with the player who signed a three-year, $165 million extension on August 2nd, EuroBasket also gave the Lakers an opportunity — to establish the best collaborative approach with their new core player. It’s worth noting that since the surprising trade with the Mavericks in February, the Lakers had not had such a chance.

During EuroBasket, a group chat was maintained before and after each gamewith participants including Pelinka, Lakers’ performance and health chief Dr. LeRoy Sims, Doncic’s chief brand officer and agent Lara Beth Seig, and his physical therapist Harvey Barrio. A source close to Doncic told ESPN,Whenever the Lakers messaged Doncic’s team, the core message was always: “Hey, whatever support you need, we’re here.”

Dr. Sims traveled to Poland personally, accompanied by longtime Lakers members Kurt and Linda Rambis. Assistant coach Greg St. Jean joined the Slovenian coaching staff as an assistant, accompanying the team throughout the tournament (which took place in Slovenia, Germany, Poland, and Latvia) for 40 days. Sources also revealed that when the Slovenian team needed equipment, the Lakers even had their equipment manager ready to provide support at any time.

After undergoing a trade beyond his control, Doncic’s determination to represent his country and his visible commitment to reshaping his physique demonstrated a new level of control over his career.

The Lakers understand that to prove their trust and appreciation for Doncic, they must invest equally.

They hope this investment pays off not only in the final stages of LeBron’s career but also extends into the future — allowing Doncic to take over as the team’s long-term cornerstone.

With full support from the Lakers, Doncic delivered a dominant performance on the EuroBasket court.

He was named to the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team, averaging 34.7 points per game — the highest single-tournament scoring average since Greek player Nikos Galis averaged 35.6 points in 1989.

Doncic’s total points in the tournament (243) even exceeded his total minutes played (233), and he elevated his performance in the knockout stage — averaging 40.5 points in two “win or go home” critical games.

In the quarterfinals, Slovenia lost 91-99 to eventual champions Germany. Slovenia led for 26 of the 40 minutes, while Germany had trailed for only 18 minutes in their previous six games combined.

According to Lakers insiders, the coaching staff was impressed by Doncic’s improved mobility compared to the latter half of last season. This progress showed in many aspects: faster speed when breaking double teams, better vertical leap, and noticeable defensive improvement— a significant area of weakness in what is otherwise a “Hall of Fame-level” résumé.

Sources said there was a moment during the tournament when St. Jean showed a compiled defensive highlight reel of Doncic to Slovenian head coach Aleksander Sekulić. St. Jean believed that besides his outstanding offense, Doncic was the team’s best defender. The clip showcased Doncic’s defensive positioning, communication with teammates, and wholehearted effort frame by frame.

Pelinka also noticed this and viewed it as a marked improvement in Doncic’s leadership.

“From a leadership perspective, I support players competing during the offseason,” Pelinka said. “I feel that nowadays, offseason training, especially in the U.S., often focuses more on individual work, and team chemistry might be overlooked.”

This was part of Pelinka’s cost-benefit analysis when deciding to support Doncic’s EuroBasket participation. Admittedly, more games and training increase injury risks — on August 16th against Latvia, a teammate collided with his leg causing a right knee contusion; this concern unfortunately became reality.

Yet, despite this, Pelinka said he would make the same decision again.

“Everything carries risk,” he said. “Focusing excessively on individual training can cause muscle or joint strain, which is also risky. Luka is very thoughtful about how to improve his basketball skills. You can tell that when he’s in a competitive environment, he shows his best self — that environment is his source of motivation.”

With the NBA training camp starting later this month, both Doncic and the Lakers believe the EuroBasket experience this summer laid a perfect foundation for the upcoming season.

As one league insider told ESPN, most players on the Slovenian team led by Doncic wouldn’t even meet NCAA Division I standards, yet he still guided them to the EuroBasket quarterfinals.Imagine what kind of performance he could deliver in a full NBA season with teammates like LeBron and Reeves by his side.

Although Doncic and the Lakers demonstrated mutual commitment this summer through action, the new season will bring fresh challenges requiring joint effort to meet each other’s expectations.

In recent seasons, Doncic has struggled to maintain healthy habits amid an 82-game high-intensity schedule, frequent travel, and the pressures of losing (and even emotional swings after winning). For Pelinka and the Lakers, planning an international schedule is one thing, but executing trades to strengthen this star-studded roster and managing available trade assets is another.

Nevertheless, this summer’s experience laid a solid foundation for both sides to face potential challenges ahead.

Doncic told ESPN that this experience has made him feel a closer connection to the city of Los Angeles.

“The support from the Lakers and Lakers Nation has been incredible,” he said. “Rob, Jeanie, Kurt, Linda, and Dr. Sims came all the way to Poland, and Lakers fans have been following EuroBasket and cheering for Slovenia — that means a lot to me.”

Doncic’s performance at EuroBasket also served as a wake-up call for the Lakers:There’s no need to wait until the “LeBron era” ends to start the “Doncic era” — the time to act is now.

“Luka’s showing at EuroBasket clearly proved to the basketball world that even if he’s not the absolute best player, he’s definitely on the very short list of candidates for that title,” Pelinka said. “In team building, we emphasize the importance of ‘flexibility.’ I use that term not to mean future flexibility, but flexibility needed right now. Having a roster with a player like Luka, who is arguably the best in the world, alongside LeBron — who even at this age remains one of the league’s elite — allows us to carefully consider the value of this ‘flexibility.’”

Currently, the Lakers’ training camp roster includes 14 players, among them Rui Hachimura ($18.3 million salary), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million) — all with contracts expiring after this season. In potential trades, the Lakers can offer first-round picks in 2031 or 2032 as assets.Sources told ESPN that since Doncic has signed a long-term contract, the Lakers are also open to trading for players whose contracts extend beyond 2026.

“If there’s a smart way to help us achieve our championship goal next season, we will take action,” Pelinka said. “We believe having both players (Doncic and LeBron) on the roster next season is a critical opportunity. We will continue to do everything possible to win the franchise’s 18th championship.”

This summer, both sides have invested together toward the shared goal of winning the championship, reaching consensus and mutual understanding.

“He emphasizes every day that his goal is to win a championship,” a source close to Doncic told ESPN. “He trusts that management will do what they need to do and believes in the team system they are building.”