Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks superstar, will be evaluated by the Slovenian national team medical staff to establish his eligibility for the pre-Olympic qualification competition in Greece.
Dallas — Following his NBA Finals run, Dallas Mavericks sensation Luka Doncic returned to Slovenia before the national team began competing in the pre-Olympic qualification tournament in Greece, which began on July 2 with a game against Croatia.
Doncic battled injuries throughout the Mavericks’ postseason run, prompting concerns about his ability to compete for his national team this summer. The superstar guard’s injury list grew to include a right knee sprain that he had since the first round of the playoffs, left ankle soreness that began in the Western Conference semifinals, and a thoracic contusion that required pain-killing injections midway through the Finals.
The Slovenian national team medical experts will assess Doncic’s knee to see if he can compete in the pre-Olympic qualification. Meanwhile, the squad will compete in Lithuania for the first two exhibition games in a home-and-home format, with the second meeting playing in Ljubljana.
Doncic questioned his probable status as a Slovenian player before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, citing his knee’s condition. “Yeah, I believe we’ll see how my knee is. But if it’s okay, I’m going to go play,” he replied.
The Mavericks anticipate Doncic to play for his national team whenever possible, provided he is healthy enough to do so. “That’s probably one of his biggest joys,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said. “As long as he can walk, he will most likely play for them. “That is my expectation.”
Less than a half-hour after losing Game 5 of the Finals at TD Garden, Doncic was hesitant to reveal his ambitions to compete with the national team. He said, “I don’t want to discuss what happens next, guy. I have a few decisions to make. I’m just trying to become a little healthier… We have interviews in two days, correct? So I’ll answer you then.” While he expected exit interviews in Dallas, the Mavericks did not conduct any for players.
It was a less hopeful response than Doncic gave reporters before Game 1 of the Finals, when he said he would play for Slovenia if his right knee was in good enough shape. He replied, “Yeah, I believe we’ll see how my knee is. But if it’s good, I’ll go play, absolutely.”
Doncic is coming off a long NBA season, but he still prioritizes playing for his national team whenever feasible. Given how successful the Mavericks’ postseason run was, there are concerns regarding a player’s ability to finish a long season and resume playing with little time off.
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