Doncic to Sit Out Summer Basketball for Daughters
In a surprising turn, Luka Doncic will not be playing this summer, marking a break from the norm for the Lakers star. Typically, fans would expect to see him on the court during the summer months.
Just half an hour after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs with a Game 4 loss to the Thunder, Doncic took to his Instagram to share his decision. He has opted out of competing for the Slovenian national team this summer, choosing instead to focus on his daughters.
This announcement comes amid a custody dispute with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Gortes, over their two daughters, Gabriela, who is three, and five-month-old Olivia.
In March, Doncic mentioned that he and Gortes had separated, and not long after, she filed a child support complaint against him in Los Angeles. He dismissed the petition shortly after, stating that none of them lived in California and that he initiated legal proceedings in Slovenia earlier in the year.
The court has since pushed back the child custody hearing to August 14th.
In his statement, Doncic expressed how deeply he loves his daughters, stating they are his top priority. “As we work toward joint custody, I’ve had to make the tough choice between playing for Slovenia or staying with my daughters this summer. It’s been increasingly hard to see them lately,” he noted.
This year marks the first time since 2020 that Doncic will miss playing for Slovenia, which was when the Olympics were postponed due to the pandemic. Prior to that, 2019 was the last summer the national team competed without him.
Doncic first joined the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket 2017, where the squad went undefeated to claim their first gold medal.
“I’m disappointed not to represent Slovenia this summer, but my responsibilities as a father come first,” he added.
The Lakers star has not played since injuring his left hamstring on April 2, missing the last five games of the regular season and subsequent playoff series against the Rockets and Thunder.
Initially, his recovery was thought to take four to six weeks, but he later learned it might extend to eight weeks. As of now, it’s been six weeks since the injury.
“I know people were hoping for my return, but I wasn’t close to being ready,” Doncic explained, clarifying that some information circulating wasn’t accurate. He assured fans that if he could play, he would.
Currently, he’s resumed weightlifting, running, and shooting as part of his recovery process. He anticipates being cleared for light activities “probably within a week or two.”
“Right now, my main priority is spending time with my daughters. That’s all I’m thinking about,” Doncic shared when discussing his upcoming summer plans. “And then, of course, getting ready for the next season.”
