Luka Doncic Says Watching LeBron James Prepare for Games Taught Him the Most During Their Time Together

Luka Doncic says the most valuable lesson he took away from playing alongside LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers had little to do with anything that happened during games themselves, and everything to do with what James does long before tipoff.

Doncic made the comments during an appearance on James’ “Mind the Game” podcast, co-hosted with two-time MVP Steve Nash, reflecting on his time as a teammate of the four-time NBA MVP since arriving in Los Angeles via a blockbuster midseason trade in February 2025.

What Doncic learned

Asked what stood out most about playing alongside James, Doncic pointed directly to James’ preparation habits rather than his on-court production. “First of all, off the court, you know, all the things he does just to be ready for the game. And obviously on the court, everybody knows what kind of player he is,” Doncic said.

When pressed for a specific example, Doncic described being genuinely surprised by how early James arrives at the arena before games. “He shows up like 10 hours before the game. … I came to the arena, he was already done working out. I was like, what?” Doncic said.

A trade that reshaped the Lakers

Doncic joined the Lakers in a trade that stunned the NBA when it was announced, sending him from the Dallas Mavericks to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis just weeks before the 2025 trade deadline. At the time, Doncic was already regarded as one of the league’s most talented offensive players, but questions persisted about his conditioning and defensive effort, criticism that had followed him for much of his career in Dallas.

Those questions carried into his first partial season with the Lakers, which ended with a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Entering the following offseason, Doncic faced pressure to reshape his conditioning heading into a full season alongside James.

A dramatically improved season

Doncic answered that challenge. Last summer, he dropped significant weight and reported to training camp in markedly better shape, a transformation that carried through into one of the best individual seasons of his career. Over the 2025-26 season, Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game while leading the Lakers to a 53-29 record and the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Doncic’s improved conditioning appeared to pay off on both ends of the floor. He earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors in both January and March, and his defensive engagement, long a target of criticism, showed clear signs of improvement over the course of the season.

A season cut short by injury

Despite that strong individual campaign, Doncic’s season ended prematurely when he suffered a season-ending hamstring strain on April 2, forcing him to miss the Lakers’ playoff run entirely. The injury denied Doncic the chance to build on his regular-season performance on basketball’s biggest stage, a frustrating conclusion to what had otherwise been a breakout year in Los Angeles.

Despite the injury setback, Doncic has expressed optimism about the Lakers’ direction heading into next season. He recently said he is “excited” about the team’s retooled roster, and separately described himself as “very excited” for the start of the new campaign, signaling confidence in Los Angeles’ outlook even after the disappointment of missing the postseason.

A veteran mentor with a long track record

James, now widely regarded as one of the most disciplined professional athletes in terms of body maintenance and game preparation, has served as a mentor figure for a long line of younger Lakers teammates over his tenure with the franchise. His approach to recovery, nutrition and physical conditioning has been credited by numerous teammates and opponents alike as a significant factor in his ability to remain a high-level performer well into his 20th NBA season.

Doncic’s account of James’ pregame routine, arriving roughly 10 hours before tipoff and completing his workout before most players have even reached the arena, reflects a level of preparation that has become something of a defining trait associated with James throughout his career, one that Doncic suggested directly influenced his own approach to conditioning heading into last season.

At 27 years old, Doncic appears to be entering what could become an especially productive stretch of his career, having paired his existing offensive brilliance with a newly improved level of physical conditioning during his first full season in Los Angeles. With James continuing to serve as both a teammate and, by Doncic’s own account, something of a professional example to follow, the Lakers will be looking for Doncic to build further on last season’s individual success once healthy for training camp.

Whether that improved conditioning and preparation habits translate into deeper playoff success for the Lakers next season remains to be seen, particularly given how last season ended prematurely due to injury. But Doncic’s comments on James’ podcast suggest that, beyond any statistical or on-court influence, playing alongside James has already reshaped how Doncic approaches the less visible parts of being a professional athlete, the preparation that happens long before any game begins.