Representing Olimpija at the under-14 Vasas Intesa Sanpaolo Cup in Budapest in September 2011, Dončić was named the most valuable player (MVP) despite finishing as runners-up to FC Barcelona. Despite his exclusion from under-14 games at the time, Dončić often asked to attend practice, even when his coach asked him to stay home. Starting in the next session, he primarily practiced with Olimpija's under-14 team, but due to league rules, he only played for the club's under-12 selection team, coming off the bench against opponents three or four years older than him. Dončić was initially expected to practice with players his age, but only 16 minutes into his first training session, the coaching staff moved him to the 11-year-old group. When Dončić was eight, his father started playing for his hometown club Union Olimpija, and Olimpija Basketball School coach Grega Brezovec invited Luka to practice with players of his age. Dončić also grew up admiring American basketball player LeBron James. He wore the number 7 at Real Madrid in honor of Spanoulis. Many of them were bigger and faster than me too, so I had to beat them with my brain." He admired Greek basketball player Vassilis Spanoulis from his early teenage years, stating that he was "enchanted" by him. His opponents at the time were up to ten years old, as Dončić reflected: "I was always training and playing with older kids who had much more experience than me. At age seven, he began playing organized basketball at primary school in Ljubljana. He played various sports in his childhood, including football, which he later quit after growing too tall. Īccording to his family, Dončić first touched a basketball when he was seven months old and was frequently playing with a miniature hoop in his room by the age of one. His parents filed for divorce in 2008, with custody and legal guardianship granted to his mother. His mother is Slovenian, and his father is a Slovenian of Serbian descent from Kosovo. 3.2.4 First Western Conference Finals appearance (2021–2022)ĭončić was born in Ljubljana to Mirjam Poterbin, an owner of beauty salons, and Saša Dončić, a basketball coach and former player.3.2.3 First division title and second All-NBA First Team (2020–2021).3.2.2 First All-Star and playoff appearance (2019–2020).He would later help his country win its first EuroBasket title in 2017 while also being named to the All-Tournament Team. Ī Slovenian international, Dončić made his senior debut for Slovenia in 2016 at only 17 years of age. He is the Mavericks' franchise leader in career triple-doubles. In his sophomore season, he was selected to his first NBA All-Star game and named to the All-NBA First Team. He was selected unanimously to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and won Rookie of the Year for the 2018–19 season. In 2018, Dončić declared for the NBA draft, joining the Dallas Mavericks. ![]() He was selected to the EuroLeague 2010–20 All-Decade Team. Dončić was also named the ACB Most Valuable Player and won back-to-back EuroLeague Rising Star and ACB Best Young Player awards. Two years later, he led Madrid to the 2018 EuroLeague title, winning the EuroLeague MVP as well as the Final Four MVP. In 2015 he made his debut for the academy's senior team at age 16, becoming the youngest in club history. He also represents the Slovenian national team.īorn in Ljubljana, Dončić shone as a youth player for Union Olimpija before joining the youth academy of Real Madrid. Luka Dončić ( / ˈ d ɒ n tʃ ɪ tʃ/ DON-chich Slovene: born February 28, 1999) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). EB Next Generation Tournament MVP ( 2015).EB Next Generation Tournament champion ( 2015).FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion ( 2015).2× Trofeo Costa de Sol champion (2016, 2017).
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