Former Lakers star claims Luka Dončić has a point to prove after “disrespecting” the NBA

The Los Angeles Lakers received a major boost on Sunday, August 3 (Philippine Standard Time), after confirming that they had agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension with Luka Dončić, which includes a player option in 2028.

The Lakers’ front office announced the extension across various social media platforms, with franchise president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka calling it a “monumental moment” in an official statement.

While the news has been welcomed by fans, former Lakers big man Samaki Walker believes Dončić still has much to prove defensively. He also criticized the Slovenian star for having, in his view, “disrespected” the NBA at times.

“Look man, the guy is a basketball savant. He’s special. He’s a one-of-a-kind player. We know—real basketball players know, and real fans of basketball know—that it’s a two-way sport. It’s offense and defense, you know what I’m saying? And I personally feel—and I love Luka offensively—but I feel like over the last few years, he’s disrespected the NBA. I follow him. He goes back to Europe and talks about how soft the NBA is, yet he doesn’t play any defense. You know what I’m saying? So, yeah, I take that personal,” Walker said during an appearance on The Coach JB Show.

“So, with that being said, I wanna see if he’s in shape and if he has the mentality to play defense. Because, hell, you can get in shape, but it still takes a mentality to play D, you know what I’m saying? Is he willing to accept that? The truth about superstars is that a lot of them are egotistical, right? They’ve been pushed to the forefront. The NBA props these guys up as greats—which they are—but many of them don’t want to play defense because they’re afraid it might hurt their brand.”

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Dončić has previously come under fire for his fitness and work ethic, which is widely believed to be a key reason why the Dallas Mavericks traded him—despite his status as a once-in-a-generation talent.

“For some reason, we’re in this era where if you get crossed over or something, people say, ‘Oh man, he ended his career.’ These guys actually believe that. Their approach is so immature that it’s hurting competition. And that shouldn’t be happening,” Walker continued.

“So yeah, I wanna challenge this kid. I wanna see if he’s really about that—on both ends of the floor. Not just an offensive guy, or the NBA selling us one side of the game. As a competitor—a true competitor—I’m interested to see if he can make the mental adjustment. And I believe he can. It starts with getting in shape, and he did that part. So let’s give him credit. Now let’s see if he can accomplish the other part,” he concluded.

Walker’s statements echo the sentiments of Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who also questioned Dončić’s defensive effort. Following the Lakers’ early exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Pierce criticized Dončić’s defensive mentality, claiming it—not his weight—was the real concern.

However, Dončić appears to be making strides. He has spent the past two months of the offseason in Croatia working on his health and conditioning in preparation for the 2025–26 NBA season. A recent article in Men’s Health, published Monday, July 28, included photos showing a much slimmer and fitter Dončić.

The 26-year-old has adopted a gluten-free, low-sugar diet that includes intermittent fasting and high protein intake. This shift in fitness is aimed at reducing injury risk—especially those caused by weight issues—and it will be intriguing to see whether it also translates into greater defensive effort on the court.

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