Dončić made his senior debut for Slovenia in 2016 at only 17 years of age. He would later help his country win its first
EuroBasket title in
2017 while also being named to the
All-Tournament Team.
According to his family, Dončić first touched a basketball when he was seven months old and frequently played with a miniature hoop in his room by age one.[9][15] He played various sports in his childhood, including
football, which he later quit after growing too tall.[16] At age seven, he began playing organized basketball at a primary school in Ljubljana.[15][17] 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. Many of them were bigger and faster than me too, so I had to beat them with my brain."[17] He admired Greek basketball player
Vassilis Spanoulis from his early teenage years, stating that he was "enchanted" by him.[18] He wore the number 7 at Real Madrid in honor of Spanoulis.[19] Dončić also grew up admiring American basketball player
LeBron James.[20]
Youth career
Union Olimpija
When Dončić was eight, his father started playing for his hometown club
Union Olimpija. Olimpija Basketball School coach Grega Brezovec invited Luka to practice with players his age.[15][21] Dončić was initially expected to practice with players his age. Still, only 16 minutes into his first training session, the coaching staff moved him to the 11-year-old group. Starting in the next session, he primarily practiced with Olimpija's under-14 team. Still, 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.[15][17] 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.[15]
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.[22] In February 2012, he was
loaned to Spanish club
Real Madrid for the
Minicopa Endesa, an under-14 Spanish club competition.[23][24] Dončić averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 3.3 steals per game to win tournament MVP honors, leading Real Madrid to a second-place finish.[24] In April 2012, he participated in the under-13 Lido di Roma Tournament for Olimpija, finishing as MVP and leading scorer with 34.5 points per game. In the semi-final round of the event against Victoria Fermo, he posted 29 points and 15 rebounds. In a title-clinching win over Lazio, he erupted for 54 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.[15][25]
Real Madrid
In September 2012, at 13 years of age, Dončić signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid, immediately standing out on the under-16 team with coach Paco Redondo.[17][26] He moved to
Madrid, living with football and basketball prospects.[9] In February 2013, Dončić led Real Madrid to a Minicopa Endesa win, averaging 24.5 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals per game. In the tournament's final game, he contributed 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 steals to defeat FC Barcelona and win MVP honors.[27] In March, Dončić earned MVP accolades of the under-16 Spain Championship, scoring 25 points in a championship game win over the
Gran Canaria youth team.[28]
In the 2014–15 season, Dončić mainly played with Real Madrid's under-18 and
reserve teams. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists with the reserve team, helping them win Group B of the
Liga EBA, the
amateur fourth-division of
Spanish basketball.[29][30] By the end of the season, he earned all-league honorable mention accolades from the basketball website
Eurobasket.com.[29] In January 2015, Dončić won the under-18
Ciutat de L'Hospitalet Tournament and was selected to the All-Tournament Team, despite being two years younger than the rest of the team.[31] On January 6, against the youth team of his former club Union Olimpija, he posted a
double-double of 13 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.[32] In May 2015, he also won the under-18
Next Generation Tournament, for which he was selected MVP after helping defeat defending champions
Crvena zvezda Belgrade in the final.[33]
Professional career
Real Madrid (2015–2018)
Early years (2015–2016)
On April 30, 2015, Dončić made his professional debut for Real Madrid in the
Liga ACB against
Unicaja, making his only three-point attempt in under 2 minutes of playing time.[34] At 16 years, two months, and two days of age, he became the youngest player to ever play for Real Madrid in the ACB and the third-youngest debutant in league history, behind only
Ricky Rubio and Ángel Rebolo.[35] He played five games in the
2014–15 ACB season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per game.[36]
In the 2015–16 season, Dončić became a regular member of Real Madrid's senior team. He played against the
Boston Celtics in an NBA preseason game on October 8, 2015, collecting 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.[37] On October 16, at age 16, he debuted in the EuroLeague, scoring 2 points in a loss to
Khimki.[38] Dončić became the 21st player ever to debut in the EuroLeague before turning 17.[39] On October 18, he recorded 10 points and 4 rebounds in a 94–61 win over
Gipuzkoa.[40] On November 29, Dončić posted a season-high 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists against
Bilbao.[41] With the performance, he set a new ACB record for most points and the highest
Performance Index Rating (PIR) in a game for players under age 17.[42] He scored 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds on January 7, 2016, against
CSKA Moscow in the EuroLeague.[43] After a Real Madrid
time-out in the second quarter of the game, Dončić made three consecutive three-pointers, recording 9 points in 2 minutes.[44] Through 39 games in the
2015–16 ACB season, he averaged 4.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.[45] In 12 EuroLeague games, he recorded 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.[46]
Rise to prominence (2016–2017)
Dončić made his 2016–17 season debut on September 30, 2016, against Unicaja, recording 6 points and 4 assists in 19 minutes.[47] He collected 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in an NBA preseason win on October 3, 2016, over the
Oklahoma City Thunder.[48] On December 4, he posted a double-double of 23 points and 11 assists, both season-highs, in a 92–76 win over
Montakit Fuenlabrada.[49] The game earned him his first ACB player of the week honor.[50] Dončić scored a team-high 17 points in a EuroLeague victory over
Žalgiris Kaunas on December 8, 2016.[51] After recording 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in a 95–72 win over
Brose Bamberg on December 22, he was named
MVP of the Round in the EuroLeague, becoming the youngest player ever to do so.[52][53] He earned the same honor on January 14, 2017, after posting 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists to help beat
Maccabi Tel Aviv.[54] On February 9, Dončić recorded 5 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists to defeat
UNICS Kazan.[55] He scored a season-high 23 points on February 18, in the
Spanish King's Cup versus
Baskonia.[56] After scoring 13 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the
2017 EuroLeague Playoffs against
Darüşşafaka on April 26, he shared MVP of the Round accolades with two other players.[57] Two days later, he won the award outright, posting 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead Real Madrid to a
EuroLeague Final Four berth.[58] Through 42 ACB games in the season, Dončić averaged 7.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Through 35 EuroLeague contests, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.[45] He was named
EuroLeague Rising Star by a unanimous vote and claimed the
ACB Best Young Player Award.[53][59]
MVP season (2017–2018)
Dončić assumed a more significant role for Real Madrid entering the 2017–18 season after the team's star player
Sergio Llull suffered a
torn ACL during
EuroBasket 2017.[60] In his season debut on October 1, 2017, he recorded 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 94–88 victory over
MoraBanc Andorra.[61] On October 12, Dončić scored a career-high 27 points in his first EuroLeague game of the season to help defeat
Anadolu Efes.[62] He nearly recorded a triple-double against
Valencia in his next game, with 16 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds.[63] On October 24, Dončić was named EuroLeague MVP of the Round after erupting for 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.[64] He was named MVP of the Round again two days later, eclipsing his career-best with 28 points in an 87–66 win over Žalgiris Kaunas. Dončić also grabbed 9 rebounds and had 4 assists in the game.[65] At the end of October, he earned
EuroLeague MVP of the Month honors, becoming the youngest player to win the award.[66] On December 8, he set a career-high in scoring with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists against
Olympiacos Piraeus.[67] Dončić led Real Madrid to a 79–77 victory over defending EuroLeague champion
Fenerbahçe Doğuş on December 28, contributing 20 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds.[68] Following a 24-point outburst versus
Movistar Estudiantes on December 31, he was selected as Player of the Round in the ACB.[69] He was later named ACB Player of the Month for December, becoming the award's youngest recipient.[70]
(left) with Real Madrid; (right) guarded by
Josh Adams
On February 9, 2018, Dončić led his team with 27 points in a losing effort to Olympiacos, 80–79.[71] He had another strong performance on February 17, versus
Iberostar Tenerife in the
2018 Spanish King's Cup, posting 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.[72][73] On March 30, 2018, Dončić scored 24 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and made a game-winning three-pointer under a second left in regulation to beat Crvena zvezda Belgrade, 82–79.[74] On May 9, he recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 22 minutes against
Real Betis Energía Plus, for the first triple-double in the ACB since the
2006–07 season, seventh in league history.[75] Dončić finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists on May 18, in a 92–83 win over CSKA Moscow in the EuroLeague semi-finals.[76] On May 20, he guided Real Madrid to a
EuroLeague finals victory over Fenerbahçe Doğuş.[77] He was subsequently named
EuroLeague Final Four MVP after scoring 15 points.[78] Dončić won the
EuroLeague MVP award, being its youngest winner, after averaging 16 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game over 33 EuroLeague games and leading the league in PIR.[79] He also repeated as the EuroLeague Rising Star, becoming the third back-to-back winner.[80] Also, Dončić earned the ACB Best Young Player and
MVP accolades after helping his team defeat
Kirolbet Baskonia in the
league finals.[81] On June 29, 2018, he parted ways with Real Madrid.[82][83]
On June 21, 2018, Dončić was selected with the third overall pick by the
Atlanta Hawks in the
2018 NBA draft. He was then traded to the
Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to
Trae Young and a protected future first-round pick in 2019.[89][90] After the draft, Mavericks head coach
Rick Carlisle said, "At one point, we thought there might be a slight chance Dončić could fall to us, but a couple of days ago it was pretty clear that there was no way that was going to happen. He's just too good. We get a guy we think is franchise foundation piece."[91] He signed his rookie contract with the Mavericks on July 9, 2018.[92] Dončić did not play at the
2018 NBA Summer League due to his late buyout from Real Madrid.[93] Before the
2018–19 season,
ESPN considered him the favorite to win the
NBA Rookie of the Year Award.[94]
Dončić made his regular-season debut on October 17, 2018, recording 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 121–100 loss to the
Phoenix Suns.[95] On October 20, Dončić recorded 26 points and 6 rebounds in a 140–136 win over the
Minnesota Timberwolves.[96] He became the youngest 20-point scorer in Mavericks history.[97] On October 29, Dončić posted 31 points and 8 rebounds in a 113–108 loss to the
San Antonio Spurs for his first 30-point game in the NBA.[98] He recorded his first NBA double-double on November 19, with 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 98–88 loss to the
Memphis Grizzlies.[99] Dončić was named
NBA Rookie of the Month in the
Western Conference for November 2018.[100] On December 8, Dončić scored 21 points in a 107–104 win over the
Houston Rockets. After initial struggles, he produced a personal 11–0 run in the game's final minutes.[101] On December 28, Dončić scored 34 points and became the youngest NBA player to make seven three-pointers in a game.[102] He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December 2018.[103] On January 21, Dončić recorded his first NBA triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 116–106 loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks. The performance made him the third-youngest player in NBA history to accomplish the feat at 19 years and 327 days old, behind
LaMelo Ball and
Markelle Fultz.[104][105] On January 27, Dončić scored a season-high 35 points and recorded his second NBA triple-double adding 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 123–120 loss to the
Toronto Raptors.[106] He became the first teenager in NBA history with a 30-point triple-double and multiple triple-doubles.[107][108] Two days later, Dončić was named a confirmed participant for the World Team representing Slovenia in the
2019Rising Stars Challenge.[109] Despite being second in fan voting, behind only
LeBron James, and ranked 8th in the total voting score, Dončić wasn't selected for the Western Conference All-Stars in the
2019 NBA All-Star Game.[110][111][112]
On February 6, Dončić recorded his third triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 99–93 win over the
Charlotte Hornets, which made him the youngest player in NBA history to record three triple-doubles.[113] He edges
Hall of FamerMagic Johnson by 117 days.[114] On February 25, Dončić recorded his fourth triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 121–112 loss to the
Los Angeles Clippers.[115] Dončić was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January 2019.[116] His eight triple-doubles ranked fourth on the season behind
Russell Westbrook (34),
Nikola Jokić (12), and
Ben Simmons (10), as well as tied with LeBron James.[117] Dončić became just the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in his rookie year, joining
Oscar Robertson (
1960–61),
Michael Jordan (
1984–85), LeBron James (
2003–04), and
Tyreke Evans (
2009–10).[118] In May, Dončić was selected unanimously to the
All-Rookie First Team. In June, he received the
NBA Rookie of the Year Award.[119][120] Dončić became the second European player, after
Pau Gasol, to win the award[121] and the sixth overall winner not born in the United States.
First All-Star and playoff appearance (2019–2020)
Dončić made his first triple-double of the season on October 25, 2019, posting 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Mavericks defeat the
New Orleans Pelicans 123–116.[122] In two consecutive games, on November 1–3, he recorded two triple-doubles and matched a career-high 15 assists in both games.[123][124] On November 8, Dončić scored a career-high 38 points and recorded his twelfth NBA triple-double by adding 14 rebounds and 10 assists in a 106–102 loss to the
New York Knicks.[125] Ten days later, in a 117–110 win over the
San Antonio Spurs, Dončić recorded a then-career-high 42 points and his sixth triple-double of the season by adding 11 rebounds and 12 assists.[126] He made NBA history in a 142–94 win over the
Golden State Warriors on November 20, when he posted 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. He became the youngest player to have 35-point triple-doubles in succession, breaking
Oscar Robertson's record. He was the fourth player to do so since the 1983–84 season, joining
Michael Jordan,
James Harden, and
Russell Westbrook.[127][128] In November, Dončić was named the NBA Western Conference
Player of the Week for Week 5 (November 18–24), his first NBA Player of the Week award.[129][130] On December 3, he won his first NBA Player of the Month award when he was named the NBA Western Conference
Player of the Month for October and November. He became the youngest Western Conference Player of the Month winner since the league began issuing the award by conferences in the 2001–02 season.[131] In December, he was named Sports Illustrated 2019 Breakout of the Year.[132] On December 8, 2019, Dončić surpassed the record for the most consecutive games with at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Michael Jordan previously held the record with 18 straight games in 1989.[133] Dončić recorded his tenth triple-double of the season on January 4, 2020, posting 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 123–120 loss to the
Charlotte Hornets.[134]
During the
2019–20 season, Dončić was selected to his first
NBA All-Star Game as a Western Conference starter.[135] He became the youngest European player to start in an All-Star game.[136] On March 4, Dončić recorded his 22nd career triple-double, passing
Jason Kidd for the most in Mavericks history. He registered 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 127–123 overtime victory over the
New Orleans Pelicans.[137] Dončić recorded his 15th triple-double of the season on July 31, posting 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 153–149 overtime loss to the
Houston Rockets.[138] On August 4, Dončić recorded another triple-double with 34 points, 12 assists, and a career-high 20 rebounds in a 114–110 overtime win over the
Sacramento Kings. With that, he became the youngest player to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10 or more assists.[139] On August 8, Dončić had a then-career-high 19 assists, which tied
LeBron James for an NBA season-high,[140] 36 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 turnovers in a 136–132 win against the
Milwaukee Bucks. The game marked his 17th triple-double of the season and clinched his spot as the youngest player to lead the NBA in triple-doubles.[141] On August 15, he was selected to the NBA's
All-Seeding Games First Team for his play in the eight seeding games, where he averaged 30.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game.[142] Dončić finished as one of the three finalists for the
NBA Most Improved Player Award.[143] He finished third behind eventual winner
Brandon Ingram and second place
Bam Adebayo.[144] On August 17, Dončić made his
NBA Playoffs debut, scoring 42 points (most ever in an NBA playoffs debut) in a 110–118 loss to the
Los Angeles Clippers.[145] On August 23, he became the youngest player in NBA postseason history with a 40-point triple-double, scoring 43 points in a 135–133 overtime victory over the LA Clippers.[146] With that performance, he became just the second player in NBA history to record at least 43 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists in any game, joining
Wilt Chamberlain as the other.[146] On September 16, he was named to the
All-NBA First Team. He became the first player since
Tim Duncan in the
1998–99 season to be selected to an All-NBA First Team in a first or second season.[147] He finished fourth overall in the season's final
MVP results. He also became the second-youngest player ever to finish in the top five of MVP voting.[148][149]
First division title and second All-NBA First Team (2020–2021)
On February 6, 2021, Dončić matched his then-career-high 42 points while putting up 11 assists and seven rebounds in a 134–132 win over the
Golden State Warriors.[150] On February 12, Dončić logged a career-high 46 points with 12 assists, 8 rebounds, one block, and one steal in a 143–130 win over the
New Orleans Pelicans.[151][152] On May 1, Dončić recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high 20 assists in a 125–124 victory over the
Washington Wizards.[153] With that performance, he became just the fourth player in NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double with at least 20 assists, joining Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Russell Westbrook.[154] On May 7, he reached 5,000 points for his career. At the age of 22 years 68 days old, Dončić became the fourth-youngest player to achieve the feat, trailing only
LeBron James,
Kevin Durant, and
Carmelo Anthony.[155] On May 22, he recorded 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 113–103 victory over the
Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of the
2021 NBA Playoffs.[156] He became the first player in NBA history to have three triple-doubles in their first seven career postseason games.[157] He also passed
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the youngest player in NBA history to record a playoff triple-double on the road.[158] On May 28, he scored a then playoff career-high 44 points in a 118–108 loss in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round against the Los Angeles Clippers.[159] On June 6, in Dončić’s first Game 7, he surpassed his playoff career-high with 46 points and 14 assists. The Mavericks fell short 126–111 and were eliminated in the First Round for the second consecutive season, despite leading the series 2–0.[160][161] On June 15, he was selected to his second consecutive All-NBA First Team.[162] Like the previous year, he became the first player since
Tim Duncan to be selected twice to the All-NBA First Team in their first three seasons and just the sixth to do so since the
ABA–NBA merger, joining
David Thompson,
Larry Bird,
David Robinson, and
Anfernee Hardaway.[163]
First Western Conference Finals appearance (2021–2022)
On August 10, 2021, he signed a five-year $207 million
rookie extension, the largest in NBA history.[164] On February 3, Dončić was named as a reserve for the
2022 NBA All-Star Game.[165] On February 5, Dončić logged his 44th career triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, and two steals in a 107–98 win against the
Philadelphia 76ers, overtaking
Fat Lever for 10th on the all-time career triple-double list.[166] On February 10, Dončić scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists on 17-of-26 shooting from the field, including seven three-pointers, in a 112–105 win against the
Los Angeles Clippers.[167] On February 13, in a back-to-back against the Clippers, Dončić scored 23 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists in a 99–97 loss. With 96 points in the two games, Dončić had the most in a two-game span against the same opponent since
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 for Philadelphia against Seattle in December 1967.[168] For his performances against the Clippers, he was named Western Conference Player of the Week.[169] On February 18, Dončić scored 49 points, including seven three-pointers, to go along with 15 rebounds and 8 assists in a 125–118 win over the
New Orleans Pelicans.[170] He became the fourth player in NBA history to record multiple 45-point, 15-rebound, and five-assist games in a calendar month,[171] as well as the first player to record at least 40 points, fifteen rebounds, five assists, five three-pointers, and a plus/minus of +20 in the same game.[172]
On February 27, Dončić recorded 34 points, and 11 rebounds, leading the Mavericks back from 21 down in the third quarter against the
Golden State Warriors in a 107–101 win.[173] Dončić became the first player in NBA history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists per game while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range in a calendar month in the three-point era since 1980.[174] On March 3, Dončić won his second career NBA Player of the Month award when he was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for February; he is the second Maverick to win this award multiple times, joined by
Dirk Nowitzki, who won it six times in his career.[175][176] On March 29, Dončić logged his 46th career triple-double with 34 points (25 points in the first half), 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 128–110 win over the
Los Angeles Lakers.[177]
Dončić missed the first three games of the playoffs because of an injury in the final regular season game. On April 28, Dončić led the Dallas Mavericks to a 98–96 Game 6 win over the
Utah Jazz to close the first-round series. It was the first time Dallas had advanced to the postseason's second round in Dončić's four-year NBA career. It was also the first time Mavericks won in the first round since winning the
2011 NBA Finals.[178] On May 2, in Game 1 of the
Western Conference Semi-finals, Dončić posted 45 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists in a 121–114 loss against the
Phoenix Suns.[179] On May 15, Dončić recorded 35 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in three-quarters in a 123–90 Game 7 win against the overall one-seed Suns, securing the Mavericks a place in the
Western Conference Finals.[180] On May 20, during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Dončić posted 42 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in a 126–117 loss against the Golden State Warriors. He joined
Michael Jordan (917) & Wilt Chamberlain (867) as the only players in NBA History with 800 points through their first 25 career playoff games. Dončić also tied Dirk Nowitzki for the most 40+ point games in Mavericks playoff history with seven.[181][182] Two days later, Dončić surpassed Dirk Nowitzki in 40-point playoff games with a double-double of 40 points (21 in the fourth quarter) and 11 rebounds in a 109–100 Game 3 loss.[183] According to
Elias Sports Bureau, he led Dallas in points, rebounds, and assists ten times during the playoffs – the most ever in a single postseason.[184] On May 24, Dončić was selected to his third All-NBA First Team, becoming the third player since the merger to do so in their first four years, joining
Tim Duncan and
Larry Bird.[185]
Record-setting performances and playoff miss (2022–2023)
On October 22, 2022, Dončić recorded 32 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists in a 137–96 victory against the
Memphis Grizzlies.[186] In the game, he became the fourth player since the merger to record 7,000 career points in less than 270 games, joining
Michael Jordan,
Shaquille O'Neal, and
LeBron James.[187] On October 27, Dončić recorded a triple-double with 41 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 129–125 overtime win over the
Brooklyn Nets.[188] The game marked his 22nd career 30-point triple-double, passing
Wilt Chamberlain for fifth-most in NBA history.[189][190] On October 30, he scored a game-high 44 points in a 114–105 win over the
Orlando Magic, becoming the first player in NBA history to record 200+ points, 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists through the first six games of a season.[187] Dončić also became the sixth player in NBA history to score at least 30 points in each of the first six games of a season and the first to do so since Michael Jordan in the
1986–87 season.[187][191] On November 2, in a 103–100 victory against the
Utah Jazz, Dončić scored 33 points and became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain in
1962–63 to score at least 30 points in each of the first seven games of a season.[192] In the next game, Dončić recorded 35 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in a 111–110 win over the Toronto Raptors. He became the only other NBA player to score 30 or more points in the first eight games of a season beside Wilt Chamberlain, who did it in the first eight of the
1959–60 season and the first 23 of the
1962–63 season.[193][194]
On November 18, Dončić recorded his 50th career triple-double with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 127–99 victory over the
Denver Nuggets. In doing so, Dončić became the second-fastest player to record 50 triple-doubles, needing 278 career games, only trailing
Oscar Robertson (111) and one fewer game than
Magic Johnson (279).[195] On November 23, Dončić scored a game-high 42 points along with 8 rebounds and 9 assists in a 125–112 loss against the
Boston Celtics.[196] He became the second-fastest player in NBA history (in terms of games played) to reach 7,500-plus points, 2,000-plus rebounds, and 2,000-plus assists, trailing only Oscar Robertson, who accomplished the feat in 254 games compared to the Dončić’s 280 outings.[197] On November 29, Dončić recorded his 51st career triple-double with 41 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 116–113 win over the reigning champions
Golden State Warriors. It was the fifth 40-point triple-double of his career, ranking behind only Oscar Robertson (22),
James Harden (16),
Russell Westbrook (13), Wilt Chamberlain (7), and Lebron James (6) in NBA history.[198] Dončić also tied
Dirk Nowitzki for the second-most 40-point outings in Mavericks history (20), trailing only
Mark Aguirre (22).[199]
On December 23, Dončić put up 50 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists in a 112–106 win over the
Houston Rockets. He joined Dirk Nowitzki as the only player to record multiple 50-point games in Mavericks history.[200] On December 27, Dončić set a career-high in points (60) and rebounds (21) and became the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double in a 126–121 victory over the
New York Knicks and the first player since James Harden to record a 60-point triple-double, the second in NBA history. Dončić also became just the third player in NBA history to record a 50-point, 20-rebound triple-double, joining
Elgin Baylor and Chamberlain. His 60 points were also the most scored in Mavericks history, previously held by Nowitzki (53), and surpassed Nowitzki for the most 50-point games in Mavericks history.[201][202][203][204] On December 31, Dončić recorded 51 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals in a 126–125 win over the
San Antonio Spurs. He became the first player in NBA history to record 250+ points, 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists over a five-game span. Dončić also surpassed Mark Aguirre for the most 40-point games in Mavericks history with 23.[205][206]
On January 3, 2023, Dončić was awarded the Western Conference
Player of the Month award for his play during the month of December, the third of his career.[207] On January 12, Dončić recorded his 10th triple-double of the season with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists playing a career-high 53 minutes in a 119–115 double overtime win over the
Los Angeles Lakers. He hit tying 3-pointers in the final seconds of regulation and the first overtime.[208][209] On January 26, Dončić was named a
Western Conference starter for the
2023 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fourth consecutive selection.[210] On January 30, Dončić scored 53 points on 17-of-24 shooting from the field in a 111–105 win over the
Detroit Pistons, marking his fifth career 50-point game. He tied LeBron James for the second-most 50-point games in a player's first five seasons in the NBA with five, trailing Michael Jordan's record of 17 since the
ABA–NBA merger.[211] On March 2, Dončić had 42 points and 12 assists in a 133–126 victory over the
Philadelphia 76ers. In the same game his teammate
Kyrie Irving scored 40 points and it was the first time in Dallas franchise history that two players scored 40 points in the same game.[212][213] On March 22, Dončić put up 30 points, seven rebounds and a season-high 17 assists in a 127–125 loss to the reigning champions
Golden State Warriors.[214] It was his 41st 30-point game of the season, surpassing
Mark Aguirre’s previous record for the most 30-point games in a season in Mavericks history.[215] On May 10, he was selected to his fourth consecutive All-NBA First Team.[216]
Career-high in scoring (2023–24)
On October 25, 2023, Dončić put up a triple-double with 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 126–119 win over the
San Antonio Spurs. He also became the first player in Mavericks history to put up a 30-point triple-double in a season-opening game.[217] On October 27, Dončić scored 49 points, including a career-high nine three-pointers, to go along with 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 125–120 win over the
Brooklyn Nets.[218] On November 10, Dončić scored 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting from the field in a 144–126 win over the
Los Angeles Clippers.[219] On December 2, Dončić recorded his 59th career regular-season triple-double with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 18 assists in a 126–120 loss against the
Oklahoma City Thunder, tying
Larry Bird for ninth on the all-time career triple-double list.[220] On December 6, he recorded the 60th triple-double of his career with 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 147–97 win over the
Utah Jazz. During the first half, he scored 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking the first 25-point triple double in NBA history entering halftime. This mark also broke a tie with Bird for 9th place on the all-time career triple-doubles list.[221] On December 11, Dončić put up 35 points in a 120–113 win over the
Memphis Grizzlies. He became the second-fastest player in NBA history to achieve 1,000 made career three-pointers, trailing
Buddy Hield and doing so in 351 games. He also became the youngest player in NBA history to achieve 1,000 career three-pointers, doing so at 24 years and 287 days old.[222]
On December 16, Dončić had a triple-double with 40 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 131–120 win over
Portland Trail Blazers. He passed
Wilt Chamberlain for fourth on the all-time 40-point triple-doubles list. Chamberlain had seven career games where he posted a 40-point triple-double, and now Dončić has eight such games.[223] On December 25, Dončić put up 50 points, 15 assists, six rebounds, and four steals in a 128–114 win over the
Phoenix Suns. He reached 10,000 career points in the same game.[224] He became the sixth player to reach 10,000 career regular-season points before turning 25, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady. He tied
Bob McAdoo for reaching 10,000 points in the 7th-fewest games in NBA history. Dončić is the quickest to 10,000 points among active players as of 2023 with 358 games. This is the fastest since Michael Jordan. He also tied 3rd-most points for Christmas Day games, behind
Bernard King and Wilt Chamberlain.[225][226] On January 25, 2024, Dončić was named a
Western Conference starter for the
2024 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fifth consecutive selection and his fourth selection as a starter.[227]
On January 26, Dončić became the fourth player in league history to put up
72 or more points in a game and became the first player ever to score at least 70 points while shooting 75% or better from the field in a 148–143 win over the
Atlanta Hawks, finishing with a career-high 73 points (shooting 25-33 overall, with eight three-pointers made), setting a new Mavericks franchise record, and with it being the most efficient 70+ point game in history.[228][229][230] This marked the most points scored in a single game by any player since
Kobe Bryant scored 81 points eighteen years earlier on January 22, 2006.[231] His 33 field goal attempts were fewest amount of field goal attempts needed to reach 70 points.[232][233] His 41 points in the first half also set a Mavericks franchise record for the most points in any half, surpassing the previous record set by
Dirk Nowitzki in December 2009.[234] On January 27, Dončić recorded a triple-double with 28 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds to become the first player in NBA history to average a 50-point triple-double over a two game span.[235][236] On January 29, in a 131–129 win over the
Orlando Magic, Dončić became the 7th youngest player to record 3,000 assists, and joined
LeBron James as the only two players in NBA history to reach 10,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists before turning 25 years old.[237]
On March 4, Dončić was awarded the Western Conference
Player of the Month award for his play during the month of February, the fourth of his career.[238] On March 9, Dončić recorded 39 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 142–124 win over the
Detroit Pistons. He became the first player to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles in NBA history.[239]
National team career
Junior national team
Dončić was set to play at the Division B tournament of the
2014 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship but was forced to withdraw from the tournament with a knee injury. In December 2014, he participated in a
friendly tournament in
Székesfehérvár, Hungary, averaging 35.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 81 percent on two-pointers and 57 percent on
three-pointers.[31]
Senior national team
EuroBasket 2017
On September 22, 2016, Dončić announced that he would represent the senior men's
Slovenian national team for the rest of his career.[240] He was previously linked with several other national teams, including
Serbia and
Spain.[241] His national team
roommate became
Goran Dragić, whom he met at age seven and has been cited as his mentor and friend.[242]
Dončić was a Slovenian squad member for
EuroBasket 2017, where his country won its first gold medal after going undefeated (9–0) in the tournament.[243] In Slovenia's 103–97 win over
Latvia in the
quarter-finals, he scored 27 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.[244] He recorded 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, in the 92–72 semi-final win over Spain.[245] In the final, Slovenia won by a score of 93–85 over Serbia. He had 8 points and 7 rebounds, before falling out of the game, due to an injury, in the game's third quarter.[246] Dončić was also named to the competition's
All-Tournament Team, joining teammate Goran Dragić, who was voted the
EuroBasket MVP.[247]
2020 Summer Olympics
During the
2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in
Kaunas, Lithuania, Dončic led Slovenia to its first-ever
Olympic berth. Dončić won MVP of the tournament by leading Slovenia to a 96–85 victory over
Lithuania while recording 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in the final round.[248]
In his Olympic debut on July 26, 2021, Dončić scored 48 points in a 118–100 victory over
Argentina.[249] His 48-point performance tied for the second-highest men's point total in a single game in Summer Olympics history and marked the most in a
men's basketball debut.[250] In the semi-final match-up versus
France, Dončić posted the third triple-double in Olympic men's basketball history with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 18 assists in a 90–89 loss.[251] Also, it ended his 17-match winning streak from the senior national team debut back in 2017.[252][253] Slovenia ended up losing the
bronze medal match versus
Australia 107–93.[254] For his play during the tournament, Dončić was selected to the FIBA All-Star Five team, joining
Patty Mills,
Ricky Rubio,
Kevin Durant, and
Rudy Gobert as the five best players at the Games.[255]
EuroBasket 2022
During the
tournament's group stage, Dončić scored 47 points as he led Slovenia to the Round of 16 with a 88–82 victory over France, claiming the top spot in Group B. His 47-point performance was the second-highest scoring total in EuroBasket history. It was the most points scored by any player in EuroBasket history in the last 65 years.[256] On September 10, he scored 35 points while beating
Belgium 88–72 to advance to the quarter-finals. The game marked his third consecutive game scoring 30+ points, becoming the first player in tournament history in 30 years to do so.[257] Slovenia was eventually upset by
Poland 90–87 in the quarter-finals.[258]
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
During the
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Dončić joined the exclusive 200-point club. He became one of only 11 players to do so in a single World Cup campaign, as he led all scorers with 27.0 points to go along with 7.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game.[259] Slovenia finished the tournament at seventh place beating Italy 89–85 with Dončić leading both sides in points, rebounds and asissts. In recognition of his individual play, Dončić was named to the
World Cup All-Tournament Team.[260]
Player profile
"[Dončić is] incredible with the ball for a big guy. He's unbelievable in
pick and roll play. His court vision is already unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I saw from a 19/20-year-old. He's a good shooter when he has time and I think he's going to be great for [the
Dallas Mavericks] for a long, long time... I could shoot a little bit but I never had the court vision... the savviness that he brings to the game... He's going to pick defenses apart and it's going to be fun to watch."
— Mavericks star and teammate
Dirk Nowitzki on Dončić before the 2018–19 NBA season.[261]
Since his early years with Real Madrid, Dončić was tabbed as one of Europe's premier talents, with Spanish newspaper Marca giving him the nickname "El Niño Maravilla" (The Wonder Boy).[31] Entering the 2018 NBA draft, he was widely seen as one of the best and most accomplished European prospects of his generation.[268]Slam magazine considered Dončić the "best international prospect ever,"[9] and sports website
SB Nation called him "most accomplished NBA prospect in decades."[269] An anonymous NBA veteran scouting executive said that his game was "leap years above anyone" in his draft class.[270]
Dončić is versatile on the offensive end, displaying proficiency in shooting three-pointers, mid-range
jump shots,
floaters, and shots in the post.[271] His basketball IQ, intangibles, and skills have been considered his primary assets, and he is seen as an elite facilitator, especially on the
pick and roll.[270] NBA and EuroLeague coach
Ettore Messina called him "phenomenal, especially mentally" for his age.[272] His lack of lateral quickness to stay in front of most NBA point guards and wings has been labeled one of his main flaws.[273][274][275] Dallas Mavericks head coach
Rick Carlisle refuted some of the worries regarding Dončić's athleticism, stating that "for a 19-year-old, he's got a really unusual combination of size, speed, and deceptive quickness."[276] By his second year, Dončić's ability to accelerate off a pick and blow by defenders to get to the basket is seen as one of his strengths.[277] Given the false characterisation of his abilities and his subsequent success in the NBA, some speculate that prejudiced
stereotyping might have had a role in his negative pre-draft evaluation.[278][279][280]
Before his draft, basketball journalist and scout Austin Green compared Dončić to NBA players
Paul Pierce and
Joe Johnson.[281] Dončić compared himself to
Ben Simmons due to his versatility.[282] In his second season, LA Clippers coach
Doc Rivers, when asked about Dončić, stated that "there's a lot of people in him." He likened Dončić’s stepback 3-pointers to
James Harden, his passing ability to
Larry Bird, and his court vision to
LeBron James.[283] NBA analyst,
Kendrick Perkins, called him "baby LeBron" due to his overall skill and dominance on the court.[284]
In December 2019, San Antonio Spurs coach
Gregg Popovich called Dončić's playing style "
Magic Johnson-like" because "he sees the floor in that same way."[285] In August 2020, head coach
Rick Carlisle compared Dončić’s playmaking and court vision to Larry Bird and
Jason Kidd.[286]Milwaukee Bucks forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo called Dončić "one of the most talented guys I've ever played against."[287] During his first career playoff game versus the
LA Clippers, TV analyst and former point guard
Mark Jackson, reiterated his view of Dončić, calling him "an absolute combination of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird."[288]
In January 2024, former basketball player and Dallas Mavericks head coach
Jason Kidd stated about Dončić that "he's better than Dirk" and that "he's in the atmosphere of MJ, the best to ever do it, LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant]".[289]
Youngest player in NBA history to lead the league outright in triple-doubles (21 years, 168 days old). Previously held by
Magic Johnson.[293]
Twenty straight games with at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, the most since the
1976–77 ABA–NBA
merger. Previously held by
Michael Jordan with 18 consecutive games.[294]
average at least 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in a playoff series (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James).[319]
record 44+ points, 9+ rebounds, and 9+ assists in a playoff game (Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James).[291]
Youngest player in NBA history to:
hit a playoff buzzer-beater at 21 years and 177 days old.[320]
record a 40-point triple-double in a playoff game.[291]
Personal life
Dončić can speak four languages: Slovenian, Serbian, English, and Spanish.[321] He learned Spanish after joining Real Madrid.[322]
In 2017, while playing at Real Madrid, Dončić signed a two-year deal with
Nike.[323] In December 2019, it was announced that Dončić had signed a multi-year endorsement deal with
Air Jordan.[324][325] On July 14, 2021, it was announced that Dončić would be the cover athlete for NBA 2K22, the 23rd installment in the
NBA 2K video game series.[326]
His 2018–19
Panini National Treasures basketball card sold for $4.6 million dollars in 2021.[327]
In July 2023, he got engaged with his longtime girlfriend Anamaria Goltes.[328] On December 1, 2023, Dončić became a father to a baby girl named Gabriela.[329][330]
^
ab"Nuša Šenk zmešala košarkarja Saša Dončiča" [Nusa Senk captivated basketball player Sasa Doncic] (in Slovenian). lifestyle.enaa.com. September 18, 2008.
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^Završnik, Jurij (December 25, 2015).
"Španski potni list?" [Spanish passport?] (in Slovenian).
Ekipa.
Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
^Luka Doncic: The Future Is Now (Video). The Insider EuroLeague Documentary Series.
EuroLeague. March 14, 2018. 22 minutes in.
Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
^Reyes, Luis Alberto (November 29, 2015).
"Doncic reclama su sitio (92–99)" (in Spanish). 24segundosenblanco.
Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
^
ab"Archived copy".
Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)