Dirk Nowitzki Can’t Hide Reaction to Lakers’ Luka Doncic’s New Look

In the aftermath of the shocking decision by the Dallas Mavericks to trade superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Slovenian import took the move by the team he started his NBA career with personally, with then-general manager Nico Harrison taking subtle shots at the perennial All-Star guard.

Harrison insinuated that Doncic doesn’t play defense and is never in the kind of shape the Mavs need to win a championship. That rubbed the talented scorer the wrong way, prompting a body transformation ahead of his first full season with the Lakers.

Dirk Nowitzki Reacts to Luka Doncic’s New Look, Staying in Shape

Doncic shocked many with his dedication to transforming his body, a commitment he has maintained ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, prompting a reaction from his close friend and former Mavs teammate, Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki spoke with KDFW Fox 4 reporter Sam Gannon and talked about what he’s seen from his former Mavs teammate.

Dirk is digging Luka’s new look. 😅😀@swish41 @lukadoncic #dallasmavs #lakers #luka #dirk pic.twitter.com/Tz0Ub2UxFE
— Sam Gannon (@SamGannon87) September 3, 2026

“He look clean,” Nowitzki said of Doncic’s new look. “He look tan, he look slim, he look ready to go.”

Doncic is clearly keeping up with his mission to be in the best shape of his life to continue playing at a high level heading into his second full season with the Lakers, which is obviously a great sign for the team.

In addition to reacting to Doncic’s new look, Nowitzki touched on the changes the Lakers underwent during the offseason, including LeBron James’ departure and the addition of rising star Walker Kessler.

The Mavs legend thinks the Lakers are headed in the right direction with the changes made and that Doncic could be on the verge of another great season in Los Angeles.

“Obviously, the Lakers also went through some changes with some new teammates and LeBron [James] leaving, and it’s going to be interesting to see. They brought in [Walker] Kessler, obviously a big center that they were looking for.

“I think they also made some nice moves that are going to make them better, and Luka looked incredible there. I saw him there in March when he had 1,000-2,000 points. It was incredible, the run he was on. Unfortunately, he got hurt right towards the playoffs.

“But if he’s healthy and he’s ready to go, he’s going to have a great season for sure.”

NBA Preseason is Right Around the Corner for the New-Look Lakers

The Lakers are only a few weeks away from getting back on the basketball court, with the team scheduled to hold media day on Sept. 28, followed by the start of training camp a day later.

Inching closer to the start of the 2026-27 NBA season next month (Oct. 21 for LA), the Lakers will have their media day on Sept. 28 before getting training camp underway the following day, leading up to the first game of their NBA preseason on Oct. 5 against the Sacramento Kings…
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) September 3, 2026

Then, a week later on Oct. 5, Doncic and company will head up north to take on the division rival Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center, where fans will finally get a glimpse of this new-look roster if Lakers head coach JJ Redick decides to run with his projected starters to begin the game.

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