On September 8th Beijing time, Slovenia secured an 84-77 victory over Italy, moving on to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. Doncic finished with 42 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals, shooting 11 of 19 from the field, 5 of 11 from beyond the arc, and 15 of 16 on free throws.

The NBA’s official social media shared Doncic’s performance with a caption highlighting his EuroBasket dominance, stating: “Doncic delivers a highlight performance—dropping 42 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead Slovenia to victory at EuroBasket!” LeBron was quick to like and share the post, showing support for his Lakers teammate.

LeBron recently attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, supporting players like Anthony and Howard, and was inducted himself as a member of the Dream Team. Prior to that, he took part in events in Shanghai and Chengdu, China, with a packed schedule. Now, he can finally relax, sharing photos of his yacht vacation on social media.

Earlier this summer, Doncic successfully developed a better physique—after struggling with weight issues over the past two seasons, especially following his trade to the Lakers last season. So far, this effort has paid off: at the 2025 EuroBasket, he posted impressive stats and appeared more agile and nimble on the court.

There had been expectations that teaming up with LeBron, who has always emphasized physical conditioning and fitness, would motivate Doncic to improve his own body. According to BasketNews, Lakers assistant coach Saint-Jean, currently working with the Slovenian national team, confirms this is indeed the case.

“You know, I’ve always believed in the idea of ‘iron sharpening iron,’” Saint-Jean said. “When you’re surrounded by top-tier players, it’s like being a coach among excellent coaches—you naturally feel inspired and want to keep improving in your own field.”

“I believe Doncic has learned something from every great player he’s encountered. And I know he has deep admiration for LeBron,” the coach added. “LeBron has always been someone he looks up to greatly. So I think their partnership clearly provides mutual motivation, not just one-sided influence.”

“Everyone can see that LeBron is also training very hard. He wakes up at 5 a.m. to focus on physical workouts,” Saint-Jean continued. “So I believe our team and players—not just those two—are all inspired and eager to return next season and perform at a high level.”

It’s reported that since last summer, Doncic has lost about 30 pounds (around 13.6 kilograms) and his muscle definition has become much clearer. In this EuroBasket, not only has his scoring been outstanding, but his defensive improvements are significant as well. During the group stage, Doncic ranked first in both points per game and steals per game in the tournament.