Luka Doncic won’t play in FIBA World Cup, it’s not because of his injury

Photo by Stefanos Kyriazis/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Luka Doncic will not represent Slovenia at the upcoming FIBA World Cup, but the reason behind the decision has nothing to do with basketball injuries or conditioning concerns.

The LA Lakers superstar released an emotional statement explaining why he has decided to step away from national team duties this summer, making it clear that family responsibilities are now taking priority over everything else.

For Doncic, the choice was deeply personal and incredibly difficult.

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Luka Doncic explains why he will miss the FIBA World Cup

As shared via The Stein Line on X, Doncic confirmed that he will not suit up for Slovenia this summer.

“I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life,” Doncic said. “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.”

He added, “Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months.”

The statement immediately shifted attention away from speculation surrounding his health or offseason recovery, with Doncic instead revealing that the decision centers around an ongoing custody situation involving his daughters.

It also highlighted the emotional toll the situation has had on him away from basketball.

Luka Doncic says family responsibilities now take priority over Slovenia duty