Luka Doncic Won't Play for Slovenia This Summer and It Comes Down to His 3-Year-Old and 5-Month-Old Daughters

The Lakers star just made one of the hardest decisions of his life, and it has nothing to do with basketball. Luka Doncic announced via Instagram that he will not play for the Slovenian national team this summer. Instead, he is putting everything into being with his two daughters, 3-year-old Gabriela and 5-month-old Olivia, while fighting for joint custody of both girls.

This is a man who has represented his country since age 16. This is a guy who dominated the 2020 Olympics with 28.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. But right now, the court battles are more important than the court itself.

A Custody Fight That's Forcing His Hand

Doncic announced the split from his ex-fiancee, Anamaria Goltes, back in March. The two share custody of their daughters, but here is the brutal part: Goltes lives in Europe. She filed a petition for child support and attorney's fees in Los Angeles, and now Slovenian courts are also getting involved. The legal mess has made it nearly impossible for Doncic to see his kids over the past eight months.

In his announcement, Doncic was direct about the choice he had to make: "I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life. As I continue working toward joint custody of my daughters, I have been forced to make a difficult decision between traveling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer. Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months."

This is not some casual family schedule conflict. This is a guy sacrificing his chance to represent his nation because the custody situation has left him desperate to spend time with his kids.

The Lakers' Season Just Ended, and Doncic Has Bigger Things on His Mind

The timing of this announcement makes it even more significant. Doncic put out his statement right after the Lakers' season ended Monday night with a playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles went down in the Western Conference semifinals after beating the Houston Rockets in the opening round.

But here is the kicker: Doncic did not even play in either series. He suffered a serious left hamstring strain on April 2 and has been sidelined since. Even though he was not on the court for those playoff runs, he still led the entire NBA in scoring this season with 33.5 points per game while shooting 36.6% from long range. Injuries limited him to just 64 games, which makes those numbers even more insane.

At 27 years old, Doncic has been a rock for Slovenia his entire adult basketball career. Now he is making the call that his daughters need him more than his national team does. That summer trip to Slovenia is off. The court appearances and custody time are on.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.