If you believed the leaks coming out of Dallas, you’d think Luka Doncic was spending his off-days lounging on a yacht with a beer in one hand and a hookah in the other. The Mavericks painted a picture of a sluggish, out-of-shape star who lacked the drive of legends like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Kobe Bryant.
Even team owner Patrick Dumont threw shade at Doncic’s work ethic after trading him to the Lakers.
“They worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win,” Dumont told the Dallas Morning News. “And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”
But hold up—Doncic’s former teammates are calling B.S. on that narrative.
Seth Curry heaps praise on Luka Doncic’s work ethic
Seth Curry, who played alongside Luka twice in Dallas, said he never saw an issue. “Practice, games—when the ball went up, he was ready,” Curry told Sporting News. “One of the best competitors I’ve ever played with.
Josh Green, another former teammate, laughed off the conditioning concerns, reminding everyone that Doncic has been grinding through World Cups, Olympics, and NBA seasons non-stop. “You have to be in pretty good shape to do that,” Green said.
Steph Noh I asked a few of Luka Doncic’s former teammates about leaks coming out of Dallas.
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 13, 2025
Seth Curry: "I didn’t see any issues, really.”
Josh Green: "The last two years, he took a big leap being a leader. The guys really followed that."https://t.co/FADsndm6ko
And then there’s Quentin Grimes, who shut down the weight talk in the most savage way possible. “If he’s 270 and made the Finals, let him be 270 then,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
Even former Mavericks exec Haralabos Voulgaris weighed in, calling the accusations “ridiculous.” He pointed out that Doncic developed an elite mid-range game, improved his step-backs, and even learned to play off-ball with Kyrie Irving—none of which happens without serious effort.
Meanwhile, how has Doncic responded to all this drama? Like a pro. At his Lakers introduction, he simply said, “I always take the high road.”
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And his play? That’s been the ultimate mic drop. The Lakers have gone 12-4 since landing him, while the Mavericks have stumbled to 7-10. Maybe the real problem in Dallas wasn’t Luka after all.