LeBron James doesn't spend $1 million on his body, as some have incorrectly claimed over the years, but he still puts a whole lot of work into fitness, given that he's still playing at a high level at age 40 and just finished his 22nd season.
For the all the impressive achievements and accomplishments in James's career, there has to be a certain level of input, or work being put in, from The King. Even after just a half-season spent as James's teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic can fully attest to James's staggering work ethic.
During an episode of James's Mind the Game podcast, which he co-hosts alongside two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, Doncic was asked by Nash if there was anything about James that stood out to him or made him say "wow."
Luka Dončić talks about how it is to play with LeBron James@mindthegamepod pic.twitter.com/x5pu3VLKhi
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) June 1, 2025
"Well first of all, he shows up like 10 hours before the game," Doncic said as James and Nash burst into laughter. "So that was really the main [thing where] I was like, 'what?' I came to the arena and he was already done working out. I was like, 'what?' "
It stands to reason that one of the game's most accomplished players would also be one of its hardest working. And even Doncic, one of the most talented players in the NBA today in his own right, can stand to learn a thing or two from The King.
"It's great," Doncic said of playing alongside James. "I've never played with a guy like this. Just being traded to here, to LA—it was different. But just to play with guys like him—it's unbelievable. I could learn so many [things]. First of all, off the court, all the things he does just to be ready for the game. And obviously on the court, everybody knows what kind of player he is."
Perhaps James's relentless work ethic is already rubbing off on Doncic, who seems to have shed some weight in preparation for the 2025-26 season. Doncic and James, assuming he returns for another season in the purple and gold, will be looking to improve upon a 2024-25 campaign that saw the Lakers bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Luka Doncic Names One Thing About LeBron James That Blew Him Away .
