Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean has seen Luka Doncic and his growth up close, both in Dallas and now in Los Angeles.
As the 26-year-old prepares for his first full season with the Lakers, St. Jean says the main focus is clear – improving conditioning and stamina.
“I think he’s done a fantastic job working hard the entire summer,” St. Jean told BasketNews. “And that’s something that we’re going to wait and see. But that’s the goal, right, is for him to continue to be able to push and play.”
The Lakers coach joined Slovenia’s national team staff this summer ahead of EuroBasket 2025, where he reunited with Luka.
St. Jean explained that one of the areas Doncic has been working on is finding the energy to keep up his level throughout games.
“He’s somebody who plays a lot of heavy minutes, and he carries a heavy load,” St. Jean said. “So that’s going to be important for him as he continues to improve his conditioning. But we’re really proud of him and he’s done a great job so far.”
His offseason transformation was one of the biggest storylines of the summer, with reports suggesting he dropped 31 pounds.
St. Jean said the work is ongoing, “I think it’s still a work in progress. I think the summer’s not over yet. And he’s going to continue to get better. I think we’ll continue to see as he gets more in-game shape with some rhythm.”
Having coached Luka in Dallas from 2021 to 2023, St. Jean believes the Slovenian star is still evolving.
“I think all the great players, they always add more to their game, and they continue to evolve and mature,” St. Jean said. “Luka’s done that every season he’s been in the NBA.”
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