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Luka Doncic revealed that family remains his primary focus this summer, while also expressing confidence in Slovenia’s chances despite his absence and confirming that his injury issues are now behind him. “We already know that I won’t play for the national team. The main reason is my daughters. Everything else is pretty much the same. I’m doing individual workouts, training in the gym, and also playing other sports. This year golf has become part of the routine, so it’s a little different. Golf is amazing. We played a lot with the team before. Now we can’t because we’re apart. It’s really relaxing—you’re out in nature, away from your phone, at peace. It’s one of the best things,” Dončić told per Siol.
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals, claiming their first championship since 1973. Brunson was named Finals MVP after averaging 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in the series. However, because of the time difference in Slovenia, Luka Doncic admitted he did not wake up in the middle of the night to watch the games live. "It's all too early for me, waking up at three in the morning, so I didn't watch," Doncic said with a smile, via Siol.net.
Luka Doncic: "I always need shooters around me because normally they double me quite a lot, so I think that I need shooters and some centers that jump a lot, defend, and put up blocks."
Luka Doncic on the possibility of participating in a 1-on-1 tournament: "They say that in the All-Star there could be one, so if they put it, it would be great."
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While the 27-year-old Luka Doncic is preparing for another season squarely in his prime, he has made one roster preference clear to Pelinka and Redick, sources said. It's the same one he made in the days after he first arrived in Los Angeles 16 months ago. "Luka's first and foremost desire is an A-list center," the source said.
Luka Doncic is spending the summer in Slovenia with his daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, but sources close to him told ESPN he is in "constant communication" with Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick. Coming off a season in which he led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game and finished fourth in MVP voting before a Grade 2 left hamstring strain sidelined him for L.A.'s postseason run, Doncic is finally healthy as he begins his offseason training. He was cleared for basketball activities on May 28 -- about 2½ weeks after their series against the Thunder finished, sources close to Doncic told ESPN. "He's in full go mode," one source said.
A source close to Luka Doncic told ESPN that Doncic has kept in touch with James and Reaves since the season ended but hasn't pitched either player on returning to L.A. Most of their conversations, the source said, revolve around golf, as Doncic took up the sport in February and has bonded with his fellow links-obsessed teammates over it.
Q. What qualities do the players around you need to have for you to be at your best? Luka Doncic: Well, I think above all, shooters and a center who can run the pick and roll and jump in so I can pass to him. And if I have shooters, they can't double-team me as much, so it helps me a lot.
Speaking with Gigantes del Basket during the Jordan Brand’s ‘The One’ Madrid stop, Doncic was asked what specific player qualities he requires to perform at his absolute ceiling, and outlined a clear, two-pronged demand. Note: These are approximate translations from Spanish. “I think mainly shooters and a big man who can run the pick-and-roll and jump so I can pass to him,” Doncic told the interviewers. “If I have shooters, they won’t double me as much and it helps me out. I think I always need shooters around me because I usually get double-teamed a lot, so I think I need shooters. And some centers who can jump high and block shots.”
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Luka Dončić admitted it always feels special to return to Madrid. “It’s always great to come back here,” he said. “I’ve returned many times, and it’s always beautiful to be in Madrid.” Having experienced the pressure of playing for Real Madrid, Dončić sees clear similarities with life at the Lakers. Although the Lakers reached the playoffs, Dončić had little interest in celebrating the team’s progress. “It’s pretty similar,” he said. “At both clubs, the expectation is always to win. If you don’t win the championship, it’s a bad season,” he said. “That’s how I see it.”
Despite being considered one of the league’s perennial MVP candidates, Dončić insisted individual awards remain secondary. “The media decides those awards,” he said. “Of course I want to win every trophy, but the most important thing is winning the championship.” With emerging contenders across the NBA, including San Antonio, Oklahoma City, New York and Boston, Dončić believes the Western Conference remains wide open. “There are so many great teams,” he said. “Finishing third or fourth in the West is never easy, but there are several teams capable of competing for the title.”
Dončić also praised former teammate Jalen Brunson, saying he had congratulated him after his strong postseason and also spoke about the possibility of what might have been if they both had stayed in Dallas. “He’s played really well. I sent him a message, and he has every reason to be happy. We’ve both improved a lot since then. We’re not the same players we used to be. It would have been very good, for sure.”
