The Los Angeles Lakers have made a notable addition to their performance staff for the 2025–26 season, hiring Jeremy Holsopple as the team’s new head strength and conditioning coach. Holsopple, widely respected in NBA performance circles, previously spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, where he played a central role in Luka Doncic’s early career.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line first reported the move, noting that Holsopple was let go by Dallas earlier this year despite a track record that included being named the NBA’s Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2021. His tenure with the Mavericks began in 2013 and spanned the arrival and rise of Doncic, who joined the team in 2018.
The Lakers’ decision appears to be about more than filling a vacancy. It reflects a deliberate effort to build around Doncic, who signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension in July. Holsopple’s return to his orbit is likely to provide both familiarity and trust—two factors that could prove essential as Doncic begins his first full season in Los Angeles.
Lakers Hire NBA’s Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2021
Dallas’ dismissal of Holsopple came just days after the team’s 2024 Finals loss to Boston, and it was among the moves that reportedly soured Doncic’s relationship with Mavericks leadership. Speaking to ESPN at the time, the 26-year-old Slovenian star lamented, “They get rid of everybody I like.”
The Lakers have taken the opposite approach. In addition to Holsopple, the organization has reshaped its roster to complement Doncic’s play, bringing in center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart while retaining LeBron James for a record-setting 23rd NBA season. Head coach JJ Redick now has on staff one of the people most familiar with Doncic’s training habits and physical needs.
Holsopple’s influence could be pivotal. The Lakers have dealt with persistent injury issues in recent years, and load management is expected to be a point of emphasis this season. During his time in Dallas, Holsopple was credited with crafting conditioning programs tailored to high-usage stars, helping them manage the demands of an 82-game schedule and deep postseason runs.
For Doncic, the reunion comes after a summer in which he showcased a leaner, more sculpted physique, even gracing the cover of Men’s Health. Now, with Holsopple overseeing his conditioning in L.A., there’s optimism that he can maintain—and even improve—on that transformation.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has been candid about aligning team infrastructure with player needs, saying, “We’ll stay committed to building an environment where our players can perform at their peak and chase championships.”
Doncic, for his part, expressed gratitude for the Lakers’ investment in him: “You guys welcomed me with open arms. I can’t wait to get started. We have what we need to compete for the championship, and we’re going to go for it.”
With Holsopple back in his corner and a roster designed to fit his game, Doncic enters the season as the clear face of the Lakers’ future—one the franchise is determined to keep both happy and healthy.