Rumors

Despite the fact that for most Slovenia isn’t anywhere near being a medal contender, Doncic and his teammates aim for a spot on the podium. “We’re hoping for the medal. We think we can win a medal. I know a lot of others don’t, but we believe in us. Everybody that’s here, we all believe, everyone in everyone. So, just with head forward.”

EuroHoops.net

After recording a historic triple-double against Belgium, Luka Doncic came close to another one against Israel, falling just one assist short. Still, the Los Angeles Lakers star led Slovenia to a crucial 106-96 victory over Israel, a result that sends France to the top of Group D, while both Slovenia and Israel must now wait for the outcome of the clash between Poland and Belgium. Dončić finished the game with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, shooting 8/10 on two-pointers, 4/11 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 9/9 from the free-throw line.

EuroHoops.net

Surviving a furious rally in the fourth quarter, Slovenia topped Iceland, 87-79, in Spodek Arena and qualified for the Round of 16 of EuroBasket 2025. Lasting nearly 32 minutes despite playing with three fouls from the first quarter, Luka Doncic paved the way with a game-high 26 points, including 17 in the second half. Driving his country to 2-2 in Group D, the Los Angeles Lakers star added seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block.

EuroHoops.net

Asked directly about the upcoming duel with Luka Doncic, Deni Avdija didn’t flinch: “I think he is a very good player, very talented. Slovenia depends on him, and he is the main focal point. We have a very good game plan and a very good coach to prepare us. I played against him many times, and it’s not going to be any different this time. We are going to be aggressive as a team and try to get the win”.

EuroHoops.net

Portland’s forward was also asked if he is going to give any advice to the coaching stuff about Doncic, since he has faced him many times in the NBA: “I am going to give advice behind closed doors, because I don’t want to give away any secrets. He is a very good player, he is very versatile, and it’s not easy to stop him, but I believe in our guys”.

EuroHoops.net

We're accustomed to seeing Doncic score 30+ points in international play, but this year, an unusual detail is catching attention in Katowice, Poland: Luka appears to be the only player at EuroBasket 2025 with a personal bodyguard. The muscular guard shadows him everywhere—walking alongside Doncic from the tunnel to the locker room on game days, standing next to him during mixed-zone interviews, and even keeping watch during open practice sessions or pre-game shootarounds.

BasketNews

Iztok Franko: My friend @coopmavs asked about this: after going 17 of 18 vs Poland, and 19 of 20 from the line against France, Luka Doncicc is at 36/38 or 95% at free-throws at EuroBasket. If we add 4 prep games the total is 68/81, or 84%, becasue of the 6 of 13 in the 1st prep game v GER.

x.com

After the game, Doncic reacted to the controversial incident, saying he hadn’t expected such a move from Francisco. "At the end we shook hands. The point difference can be important, but we shook hands. I didn’t think he’d go and score again,” Doncic explained to Slovenian media after the game.

BasketNews

"I said I was sorry," Francisco told reporters. "I actually went to shake hands and go to the layup like I said to Luka. The only thing that I really regret is just shaking hands — I should have told him, 'Nah, play defense,' because I was going for a tie. "You know, we've got point differential, which is really important in EuroBasket, and that's why it just clicked in my head," he added. "At the end of the day, I would never do that, but I take full responsibility for it, and I just gotta move forward."

BasketNews

Luka Doncic needed 28 points against France on Saturday to add another page to his already extensive record of accomplishments. The Los Angeles Lakers star finished the game with 39 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in senior official competitions with Slovenia.

FIBA

After a 0-2 start, things are bound to get better for Slovenia, which has to face Belgium, Israel and Iceland, aiming for a 3-2 record, which can be enough for the third spot of Group D and a ticket to the Round of 16. Doncic’s echoed this sentiment talking after the game to the press: “”The goal is to get out of the group. In both matches so far, we have given our all, we are really giving our all. We are here to represent Slovenia and try to win and we will continue to fight. I think we have proven that we can do it, all the guys fought, really all credit to everyone. We win and lose as a team. I made a lot of mistakes today and I know that I can be much better. The analysis will be important and that we prepare as well as possible”.

EuroHoops.net

First, it was Jordan Loyd for Poland, and now another EuroLeague star, Sylvain Francisco, stole the show and the 103-95 win from Luka Doncic. The Slovenian star was great with 39 points, nine assists, eight rebounds – plus five turnovers and a “T” – but France beat Slovenia with Francisco scoring 32, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing five assists, and making big plays when it counted the most.

EuroHoops.net

To be honest I didn’t have the right answer at the time, at least until the game started and the national anthems were played. And while singing our national anthem Zdravljica among some 600 fellow Slovenians and later listening to more than 9,000 Poles do the same, I remembered. It’s hard to explain, but watching your national team battle, even when the chances are not great, is what still gives me the chills — no matter the place and no matter the competition. It’s hard to illustrate or explain this feeling if you’ve never been to such a game. It certainly felt like the experience made a powerful impression on Rob Pelinka, who was sitting courtside alongside Jeanie Buss, Kurt and Linda Rambis, there to show public support and appreciation for Dončić playing for Slovenia.

Diggin' Basketball

And speaking about facing Doncic and beating him, while the spotlight was on the Lakers star, the naturalized point guard of Poland, Jordan Loyd, answered: “One of the best players in the world will always have a lot of hype, news, and media around him. It’s pretty awesome to be on the court with him and a lot of respect to what he has done, but being on the other side, you use that as energy. And as a team, we used that as a motivation. We have to be humble, but on the other side, you’re going to respect us too. Luka is Luka, there’s no more credit and respect I can give to him, but tonight our team was better”.

EuroHoops.net