Luka Doncic, who missed the entire NBA playoffs due to a grade 2 hamstring strain, has now announced that he will not be participating in the upcoming FIBA qualifiers for the Slovenian national team, amid battles for the joint-custody of his daughters.
“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,” wrote Doncic on his Instagram story.
“Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months. I have given everything to representing Slovenia, and I am disappointed that I will not be able to play for my country this summer. But right now, my daughters and my responsibilities as a father are my priority.”
In March 2026, Doncic and his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, called off their engagement and announced their separation. Subsequently, they entered into a battle for the custody of their children amid an ugly separation.
Additionally, in April 2026, when Doncic headed to Europe to get PRP injections for his hamstring strain, he reportedly stayed in Slovenia for a few days with his daughters between the treatment regimen before heading back to Spain to complete the procedure.
Even during the postgame press conference tonight after the Lakers’ season ended, the 27-year-old Slovenian superstar addressed his daughters’ key role in his plans for the summer.
“I mean, first of all, I want to spend time with my daughters, and that’s probably the only thing that is on my mind right now. And second of all, obviously, you know, get the work in and come back ready for the season,” said Doncic.
There was a lot of backlash, even on social media, as fans speculated what they would feel if they saw Luka Doncic in the Slovenian colors in the summer after missing the entire playoffs. But amid this hard personal battle, Doncic has decided to sacrifice more potential basketball to spend time with his daughters.
Doncic was 16 years old when he made his debut for the Slovenian national team, 17 years old when he first led them to an EuroBasket title, and has since led the national team in every international competition for Slovenia.
This is a major decision for him personally, and it is fully understandable at this stage. We hope to see him bounce back stronger next season after being forced to sit out the entire NBA playoffs.
