In late February and March, the Los Angeles Lakers started to resemble a gathering storm. After struggling to play .500 ball for much of the season, they ripped off 16 victories in 18 games and were seemingly becoming the best version of themselves. Luka Doncic led the way with a stupendous March that resulted in him winning his second Western Conference Player of the Month award.
But he suffered a hamstring strain against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2 that would sideline him for the rest of the season. In a moment, the Lakers’ faint hopes of contending for the championship were completely gone, and the Thunder ended up sweeping them out of the second round of the playoffs.
Hamstring strains can be tricky to deal with, and they can linger for a long time if not properly managed. But per Dan Woike of The Athletic, Doncic said in an email to Lakers fans that he’s 100% healthy.
“I took a real break from basketball the first few weeks after the season ended to rehab my body,” Doncic wrote. “My recovery went great, and I’m 100% healthy again. Taking some time away from basketball is something I do at the start of every offseason.
“It’s a different way to do things, but it works for me. When I let myself miss the game a little bit and try some new things, it only makes me more excited and motivated to get back to playing.”
On the season, Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals a game. While he didn’t win the NBA MVP award, he did take home his second scoring title and reinforce the notion that, at worst, he’s one of the roughly five best basketball players on the planet.
The Lakers now have a completely different roster for the coming season, and unlike the one it had last season, it is one that is pretty well-suited for Doncic’s style of play. It features more speed, shooting and rebounding than last season’s iteration, and the superstar is reportedly “excited” about the moves the team has made this summer.
A healthy Doncic is one of the biggest ceiling raisers in all of sports. Lakers fans are hoping he will give this new-look roster a higher ceiling and better results than most are currently anticipating.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic says he’s 100% healthy after hamstring injury
