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Once again, Luka Dončić's immense popularity in Serbia was evident. Many still lament that he never played for the Serbian national team alongside Bogdan Bogdanović and Nikola Jokić, but that's a story for another time.
"After school, I'd go out to play basketball regardless of the weather, and those memories are definitely coming back to me now. Anything is possible if you truly desire it; you just need to work hard. Young players must enjoy what they do, but they also need to make sacrifices," the Los Angeles Lakers star told young basketball players.
Even before leaving Ljubljana for Belgrade, Dončić confirmed he would not play for Slovenia in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers this summer. His reason is personal commitments, as he wishes to spend more time with his daughters, Gabriela and Olivia.
"I won't be playing in the qualifiers, neither now nor in August! The decision was made earlier, and it's final. The main reason is my daughters. Being home with my girls means the most to me. At this moment, that's the most important thing, but I also have many friends here; this is my home, so it's always nice to return to Ljubljana," the 27-year-old Lakers player confirmed.
Luka also confirmed that his injury is now a thing of the past...
"I feel good; it's all behind me. Everything is back to normal now; I'm doing individual training and gym work, and I'm also involved in other sports. This year, golf is in the mix, so it's a bit different. Golf is truly great; we even played with the club, though not now since we're separated. I really relax; you're in nature, without your phone, you have peace – it's the best." Luka Dončić
Despite his absence, he believes in his teammates' success in the qualifiers.
"The national team is a mix of young and experienced players; the future belongs to the youth. Everyone on the team knows what it takes, so I wish them victory. The team leaders are clear, everyone knows what they need to do, so I'm not worried they won't succeed."
He also commented on the national team's new addition, Jackson Hayes, his Lakers teammate, whose naturalization has been completed.
"I wasn't involved in that; I just play for the national team, but Jackson is really great, a good player, so he's an excellent reinforcement," the Slovenian basketball player said with a smile.
However, he looks back with a touch of bitterness at last season with the Lakers, which, plagued by injury problems, especially Dončić's, ended in the second round of the playoffs.
"I always say a season is bad if you don't win the title. We were really unlucky; I was unlucky, and Austin Reaves was also injured. In March, we played really good basketball, but in the end, it wasn't meant to be. As for the future, it's still far off, but I hope everything turns in the right direction. I didn't watch much of the NBA Finals. It's all too early for me, waking up at three in the morning, so I didn't watch." Luka Dončić
The situation is different with the FIFA World Cup.
"I'm watching the World Cup, but unfortunately, I won't be able to be a part of it, even though I'm an ambassador. I'm watching and following everything on TV. I don't have a favorite; I'm rooting for Brazil, Spain. Above all, I'm rooting for good games," Dončić added.
Video: Dončić speaks about his injury for the first time!
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