HOW DO YOU make one of the best athletes in the world even better?
That’s the vexing task that fell to physiotherapist Javier Barrio, trainer Anze Macek, and nutritionist Lucia Almendros two years ago when Slovenian phenom Luka Dončić entrusted them with designing his off-season training and eating plan. His goal this year? Come into his first full season as a Laker in the best shape of his life. In three months.
No big deal.
Macek took charge of the workouts—except Sundays, Dončić hit two per day, with plenty of lifting, mobility, and court drills. But fueling the 6’7” point guard as he underwent this Rocky-style transformation may have been an even tougher job: a chemistry experiment where all the elements not only had to fulfill a specific function, but also taste great and make sense to Luka as he learned the ropes of performance nutrition. “He’s 26, and it’s a learning process,” says Barrio.
It helped that their client was motivated. Luka’s final game with the Lakers was April 30th; days later he was on the plane to his native Slovenia. “He arrived May fifth, and said, I want to start immediately,” recalls Barrio. And he did: right around the time you’d forgive a pro athlete for kicking back with pizza and a few beers, Luka went low-carb.
