The NBA appears close to a return after a multi-month shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which means it’s time for players to start getting back into game shape. For one of the league’s young superstars, that might be a more urgent objective.
Second-year Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has been living in his native Slovenia since March, when the season was suspended after Jazz center Rudy Gobert contracted the coronavirus. His trainer, Jure Drakslar, recently gave an update to a Russian news source as to how his conditioning is going while under quarantine.
“He’s not in the best shape,” Drakslar said, per the Dallas Morning News. “Which is normal. NBA games will not be played before the end of July, so there is enough time to help him recover and get ready.
“However, he undoubtedly would be ready to play right now.”
The NBA is scheduled to resume on July 30 in Orlando — ESPN reported Thursday the restart was moved up one day — and international players living abroad (including Doncic and Dallas teammate Kristaps Porzingis) are scheduled to return to their teams’ markets by June 15. Between then and the restart, Doncic will have plenty of time to whip into shape while practicing with his teammates.
Doncic was named to his first All-Star team and was generating MVP buzz at times during the 2019-20 season. When the season went on hiatus, he was averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.