
Watch: Luka Doncic casually hits halfcourt shot while looking very fit
So far this offseason, there has been plenty of talk about how Doncic has apparently gotten in much better shape. He was seen several weeks ago looking noticeably slimmer, and according to one report, he has been "incredibly committed" to his health and conditioning.
There is a new video of the Slovenian superstar on social media where he casually hits a halfcourt shot in an open gym, and people have noticed how slim and fit he looks.
Lakers fans on X (formerly Twitter) are looking forward to a new and improved version of Doncic.
Doncic is currently preparing to represent Slovenia in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament, which will start late in August and run through mid-September. While Brian Windhorst reported that Doncic may wait until afterward to sign a contract extension with the Lakers, a new report indicated that the superstar may get that extension done in early August before the tournament starts.
He will be eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension on Aug. 2.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Jalen Williams calls Kobe Bryant the NBA's GOAT
Considering how vocal he's been about his fandom, it shouldn't be shocking to learn Jalen Williams believes Kobe Bryant is basketball's greatest of all time. The NBA champion trended on social media this past week for a side-by-side photo. Williams answered questions of whether he was a good enough second-best player on a title contender with a resounding yes during the playoffs. The 24-year-old stepped up to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His championship run was highlighted by a 40-point performance in the 2025 NBA Finals Game 5. What makes Williams' run even more mythical is the quiet battle he endured. After he sustained torn wrist ligaments late in the regular season, he played through swelling and pain for two months in the playoffs. He'd receive pain-numbing shots before every playoff contest. It was obvious Williams was playing through an ailment. His wrist was heavily wrapped. But the 24-year-old kept quiet about the injury. Anytime he was asked about it, he'd have a strong poker face. After Sam Presti announced his wrist surgery, he finally talked ad nauseam about the grueling day-to-day process. Earlier this week, Williams took a photo of himself in pajamas, attempting a one-handed free throw with his hand cast. It's the same pose Bryant hit when he dealt with a hand fracture in 1999. The 24-year-old posted both photos on social media. It caused some backlash, but none of substance. After Williams fired back at his haters by saying he's closer to Bryant than they are to him, he also proclaimed that he thinks Bryant is the best of all time. Williams wrote in a reply: "he da goat." That's a popular opinion among some basketball circles. Bryant brought home five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. That type of success on the NBA's biggest franchise will create a huge following. Even if there are a handful of players with better resumes, Bryant's fans will argue to the end of time that he's the greatest ever. Add Williams to that group. he da goat


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Nikola Jokic's Agent Posts Cryptic LeBron James Message After Meetup
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There's been plenty of speculation about the NBA future of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James this offseason, and things took a wild new turn on Saturday. The 40-year-old James, who exercised his $52.6 million player option earlier this offseason, has made it known through his agent Rich Paul that he wants to win at least one more championship before he retires. "LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Paul said, via Yahoo Sports. "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. "... We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him." LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Arena on March 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Arena on March 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, Basketball: Warriors' Steph Curry Reveals Surprising Bronny James Revelation There have been several conflicting reports this offseason about where James will ultimately end up, and things got a little more interesting over the weekend when James was photographed on a yacht with Misko Raznatovic, the agent for Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. What made things even more intriguing is the caption Raznatovic posted on his Instagram account along with the photo. "The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026! @kingjames @mavcarter," Raznatovic wrote. More Basketball: Angel Reese Sends Clear Message to WNBA About Salary Negotiations The cryptic post has several NBA fans buzzing about the possibility of a James-Jokic team up in Denver in 2026, especially given the number of reports that indicate the Lakers don't have much interest in keeping James around beyond next season. Many analysts believe the likeliest scenario for James sees him playing 2025 in Los Angeles with a revamped Lakers roster that already featured Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura and added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia, before moving onto a new team in 2026. Despite being the oldest player in the NBA, James is still one of the most productive players in the game. He ranked 13th in the league in scoring (24.4 points per game), and finished sixth in assists (8.2 per game) and 22nd in rebounds (7.8 per game) in 2024.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
LeBron James' future with Lakers beyond 2025-26 certain to generate speculation leading up to training camp
With roughly two months before NBA teams report to training camp and roughly three before the 2025-26 NBA season tips off, LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers is going to be a frequent topic of discussion among media and fans. In his latest column, NBA reporter Marc Stein outlined many of the key points that will influence James' decision over the next nine months — and past that, if the Lakers contend for an NBA championship. But the process may come down to one factor. "It all really depends on how this coming season goes," one of Stein's sources said. The Lakers finished last season tied for third in the Western Conference at 50-32, but were 18 games behind the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Losing their first-round playoff series to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games made it apparent how far they are from winning an NBA title. President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka added center Deandre Ayton and forward Jake LaRavia, and re-signed center Jaxson Hayes. But will that be enough with James and Luka Dončić to contend in an extremely competitive Western Conference? James is largely responsible for creating these questions by picking up his $52.6 million player option for the upcoming season and not negotiating a longer-term deal with the Lakers. His agent, Rich Paul, also stoked speculation by issuing a statement to ESPN that said "LeBron wants to compete for a championship" and "values a realistic chance of winning it all." The statement also acknowledged that the Lakers were preparing for a future beyond James, which will be built around Dončić. "We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future," Paul said. "We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him." If it becomes clear that the Lakers won't contend for an NBA title, a trade could be in play. Stein highlights the Dallas Mavericks as a possible destination. Previous reporting says that Dallas would only be interested in adding James if he was bought out from his 2025-26 contract. Would that change halfway through the season if the Mavs felt they were in the championship hunt? The same likely applies to the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and even the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, if James wants to keep playing, not just in pursuit of a fifth NBA championship but playing 24 or 25 seasons, or being the oldest player to play in the league at 46 years or older, then each of those teams is a possible next stop for him. What Stein's reporting increasingly indicates is that it wouldn't happen with the Lakers.