Luka Doncic’s body wasn’t only transformation for him this summer

The Los Angeles Lakers have some things to look forward to this upcoming season, and one of them is the new and improved Luka Doncic. Over the summer, Doncic went through a major body transformation where he slimmed down, and he was able to show it off in the 2025 EuroBasket.

Though that may have been the most noticeable transformation that people saw, there is somewhere else that Doncic improved. Doncic’s Slovenian teammate and close friend, Edo Murić, noted that he became a strong leader over the summer, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.

“Every year, he’s more vocal and even more patient with the players because he’s coming from a different level than we are,” Murić said. “And sometimes (the mistakes), it’s not acceptable for him. Maybe he used to expect too much from us because he comes from another world that we come from, you know?

“But now as he’s maturing as he’s older, he gets that. And he’s giving us more and more trust.”

Doncic was key in recruiting Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton to the Lakers in free agency. When it came to the national team, he found a way to fit around players who weren’t on the same level as him.

Luka Doncic growing as a leader

Doncic knew that this was the next step in his career, and he embraced it over the summer.

“I mean, it was probably just something I need to do — especially since I’ve seen a lot of basketball now,” Doncic said. “So I’ve been through a lot — so it was kind of something like, I need to do this to help, to help others.

“(Being a leader), sometimes it’s comfortable, sometimes not. Sometimes it’s great to be a leader and sometimes you have to say things that you don’t want to, but that’s part of being a leader.”

With the Lakers transitioning to Doncic as the present and future of the team, it only makes sense for him to step into this role. Everyone knows what Doncic can do on the floor as he’s one of the more gifted offensive talents to play basketball today, but it’s what he does off the court that will count for a lot.

If Doncic can grow into a solid leader, it will be key to how far they can go this season and beyond.