Lakers’ Luka Doncic takes step toward EuroBasket participation

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is officially inching closer to another EuroBasket campaign. Luka Doncic was named to Slovenia’s preliminary 19-man roster for the upcoming EuroBasket 2025 tournament. The announcement signals Luka’s intent to play for Slovenia once again. It continues his long-standing tradition of balancing NBA stardom with national pride.

Luka Doncic made his EuroBasket debut in 2017, playing a pivotal role in Slovenia’s historic gold medal run. Since then, he has become a national team cornerstone, delivering highlights and averaging nearly 20 points per game. He ranks among Slovenia’s all-time EuroBasket scorers and could break more records if he plays this summer.

Slovenia will open training camp on July 23 and play a full slate of tune-up games before finalizing the roster. Also joining the national team setup is Doncic’s longtime mentor and former executive, Donnie Nelson, who will serve as a special advisor. The move brings added familiarity and NBA-level preparation to the Slovenian squad.

Back in Los Angeles, the Lakers fully support Doncic’s EuroBasket plans, so long as he follows health and workload guidelines. They’ve taken note of his physical transformation. He slimmed down and now enters both EuroBasket and the NBA season in peak condition. To ensure this continues, the Lakers added player development coach Greg St. Jean to Slovenia’s setup, allowing the team to monitor his progress and maintain consistency.

Slovenia will compete in Group D alongside France, Poland, Belgium, Iceland, and Israel when EuroBasket tips off from August 27 to September 14. Expectations are once again high, especially with Doncic likely leading the charge.

For the Lakers, Luka Doncic’s international play could sharpen his competitive edge. For Slovenia, it’s a chance to chase another deep run, with one of the world’s best players leading the way. And if his form holds, both teams stand to benefit from a more polished, more determined version of Doncic this season.