When the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded Luka Doncic last season, health and conditioning were cited as one of the major factors. The superstar guard seems eager to put this narrative to rest, as he’s put a major emphasis on his body this offseason. Amid his physical transformation, one former player thinks there are big things on the horizon for Doncic.
Earlier this week, Doncic graced the cover of Men’s Health magazine. His photo ended up going viral online due to his new sleek look. During his interview with the publication, the LA Lakers star opened up on the changes he’s made to his diet and workout regimen.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up earlier this week, Kendrick Perkins gave his thoughts on Doncic’s new look. With him being in great physical shape, he thinks the star guard should be the frontrunner for MVP.
“When you see Luka setting the bar looking in shape, the league is in trouble,” Perkins said. “For one, the Lakers are a legit title contender. But two, Luka is my early favorite to win the MVP. He went to the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks out of shape. Imagine what he’s gonna do to the league this year.”
“The league is in trouble. … Luka is my early favorite to win MVP” ?
—@KendrickPerkins reacts to Luka’s offseason conditioning pic.twitter.com/JTsBpPyI1s
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 29, 2025
When the Lakers got eliminated from the postseason, head coach JJ Redick talked about the team needing to be in “championship shape” moving forward. Whether this remark was aimed at Doncic or not, it has yielded big results. Not only does he look ready to change his perception around the league, but lead the Lakers on a deep playoff run as well.
As Perkins stated, Doncic was one of the game’s top stars when his conditioning was viewed as an issue. Now looking like he’s in the best shape of his career, there’s no telling how he’ll perform for LA in 2026.
