Everyone in Los Angeles has been excited about just how the offseason body transformation of Luka Doncic could improve his game. One of the immediate answers has been the boost it has offered him on the defensive end of the basketball court.
Doncic has been so great for Slovenia at EuroBasket 2025 with his defense that he was highlighted as a finalist for the first-ever Best Defensive Player award at the competition. That is a stark difference for a player who has often been criticized for his ability on that end.
Some of the other notable names brought up in the polling include: Finland's Lauri Markkanen, Georgia's Goga Bitadze, Germany's Dennis Schroder, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Isaac Bonga, Doncic's teammate Edo Muric, and Turkey's Adem Bona.