Luka Doncic's longest spell on the sidelines is finally over. The 203-day absence, the lengthiest of his career, began on 3 April with a serious left thigh injury, and after stem cell therapy and a lengthy rehabilitation, the Los Angeles Lakers talisman is heading back to California. Working alongside his personal trainer, the Slovenian guard has fully rebuilt his physical condition and trimmed down to an optimal 105 kilograms. He even organised informal training sessions for his teammates in his native Slovenia in August.
Yet for all his ideal weight and conditioning, Doncic has still to return to full-contact work or five-on-five scrimmages, a gap that will slow his path back to game rhythm. The club's medical staff are taking no chances. When media day and training camp open on 28 September, the coaching staff will increase his workload only gradually. Tellingly, it will be the Lakers' first training camp since the 2017-18 season without LeBron James on the roster, and the full weight of leading the franchise now rests squarely on Doncic's shoulders. The Lakers open their regular season on 22 October against the Golden State Warriors.
