NBA

NBA players gang up on podcast over Luka Doncic’s room for improvement: ‘Get in shape, stop b*tching’

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Not too long ago, former NBA player Brandon Jennings and current Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie were invited over to the the “Gil’s Arena” podcast and discussed the Mavericks disappointing season, analyzing where are their faults and pointing out rooms for improvement.

As Luka Doncic is Dallas’ greatest star, he was given just as much praise as criticism by this basketball panel. Jennings, for example, showed no mercy for the Slovenian athlete, saying he should hit the gym and stop complaining so much.

When asked how he could take his game to the next level, the ex-Wizards player said that it all comes down to his mentality, as he should combine his amazing talent with a workout regimen.

“Get in shape, stop b*tching,” Jennings expressed on the podcast. “Stop b***hing, why you always complaining to the refs. It’s four on five every time.

Is he in shape, all those beers? And you [Gilbert Arenas] always saying, ‘guys training,’ that’s why I’m saying you’re not in that type of shape.”

Dinwiddie, who just some months ago was Luka’s teammate in Texas, also shared his views on the matter. Even though the Brooklyn player accepts the Slovenian star has to improve, he was much more reserved with his answer.

“I think he’s in shape, but if you’re talking about that elite level, like, I can be at the rim every single time…when we talk about Giannis, Bron-type of shape?,” Dinwiddie explained. “No. He can hoop, though.”

This past campaign, Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists, earning himself a place in the First Team All-NBA honors.

Jennings and Dinwiddie both agreed that defense is the Mavericks star’s weakest attribute

“I think defense obviously,” Dinwiddie finally admitted. “He does give effort to a degree on that end but it can be higher level and you want to get to a space where they’re not hunting you, obviously. It’s never good when your best player is getting targeted on defense.

And I just think, like, whenever the right roster gets around him, he’s probably just going to have to change his playstyle a tiny bit.”

Check out the full video of this episode of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast and judge it yourselves:

It seems like other stars around the NBA agree that defense isn’t Doncic’s strength, as Clippers guard Paul George recently recognised it on his own “Podcast P” show.

“Some people just can’t play defense, and that’s okay,” George said of Luka last month. “As good as he is offensively, some people just are not gifted defensively and vice versa… Dennis Rodman, great on defense. That’s not his defense.”

Despite what they think, the Slovenian athlete was able to steal 90 balls throughout this past 2022/23 season, which would explain what Jennings tried to express, as he doesn’t lack the skill, but might be missing a better defensive disposition.