Should Dallas Mavericks fans worry about Luka Doncic's offcourt habits?

The Dallas Mavericks have the best young superstar in the league in Luka Doncic. The 23-year-old has been first-team All-NBA for three straight years, and he continues to improve. Doncic is among the favorites to win MVP in 2023 after leading the Mavs on a surprise run to the conference finals last season.

Luka has immense talent. He is arguably the best shot creator in the world, and the 6’7 guard makes the Mavericks a feared opponent for every team in the NBA. There is no stopping Doncic, and fans can be sure he put a new trick or two in his bag this offseason.

What Luka does off the court made headlines on Aug. 29 after the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the Mavericks superstar was drinking soda and smoking a cigarette on the eve of Slovenia’s World Cup qualifier against Germany. The Germans pulled a shocking upset in what was far from Luka’s best game. Should fans be worried about Doncic’s offcourt habits?

Should Dallas Mavericks fans worry about Luka Doncic's offcourt habits?

This is not the first time what Luka does off the court has made headlines. He loves basketball and is always working on his game. In his four seasons with the Mavericks, supporters have seen him improve his finishing with his left hand, upgrade his jumper, and add a deadly mid-range game that features Dirk Nowitzki’s signature shot. There is no question he works hard on his game, but there are other habits that fans have questioned.

A photo of Doncic drinking a beer surfaced the day of a playoff game, which the Mavericks said was an old photo. Tim MacMahon refuted the team’s report by saying it was a picture from the night before the contest.

The 23-year-old superstar was also photographed smoking a hookah last summer, which went viral. Doncic did not enter the season in the best shape, and he attributed it to taking too much time off in the offseason. The Mavs got off to a slow start before having the second-best record from Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season.

Should fans worry about what Luka Doncic does away from the court? The 23-year-old superstar is one of the best players in the world. He would not be the first player to smoke. Michael Jordan reportedly had a cigar before every home game when he was at the peak of his powers with the Chicago Bulls. A ton of pressure comes with being one of the best players in the world, and dealing with that cannot be easy.

Luka Doncic had an off night against Germany, and so did the rest of the Slovenian National Team, but having a soda and cigarette the night before the game did not cause it. Smoking could shorten Luka’s career and may hamper his conditioning, but fans should not be worried. One cigarette is not going to keep him from the best player in the world.

When Luka focuses on his body, he will reach another level. Doncic needs to eat right and kick the bad habits like drinking soda and smoking to make that a reality. It could be the key to Dallas Mavericks winning the championship, and Luka reaching his peak.

Will the 23-year-old superstar do it? Time will tell, but fans should not be worried about Luka Doncic. He will be ready for training camp and be better than ever. Doncic plans on leading the Dallas Mavericks on another deep playoff run, and fans can bet on him taking his game to another level when the games matter most, so do not miss it.