Lakers fans will have to wait a little longer to see Luka Doncic back on the court. The superstar guard announced he won't be playing for the Slovenian national team this summer, breaking a tradition of representing his home country during the offseason.
Just 30 minutes after the Lakers' season ended with a Game 4 loss to the Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, Doncic took to Instagram to share the news in both English and Slovenian. His decision comes amid a highly personal and challenging time: a custody battle for his two daughters, Gabriela (3) and Olivia (5 months), with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes.
"I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life," Doncic wrote in a heartfelt statement. "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."
Doncic and Goltes separated earlier this year, with Goltes filing a child support petition in Los Angeles in March. Doncic's high-profile attorney, Laura Wasser, moved to dismiss the petition, arguing that neither party is a California resident. Doncic had already initiated a family law case in Slovenia back in February. The court has since postponed the custody hearing until August 14.
This summer marks a significant shift in Doncic's international basketball schedule. It will be the first time since 2020—when the Olympics were postponed due to COVID-19—that he won't suit up for Slovenia. The last time the national team played without him was in the summer of 2019, right after his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic first debuted for Slovenia during EuroBasket 2017, and his presence has been a cornerstone of the team's success ever since. But for now, family comes first, and Lakers fans will have to wait until the fall to see their star back in action.