Luka Dončić Cleared After Knee Contusion in Slovenia’s Loss to Latvia, Will Play vs. Great Britain
Slovenia will continue EuroBasket 2025 preparations with a full squad after Luka Dončić was cleared to practice Monday following a bruised right knee sustained during Saturday’s 100–88 loss to Latvia in Riga.
The Los Angeles Lakers star exited in the third quarter after a teammate fell into his leg. Slovenia’s federation later confirmed the injury was only a contusion, allowing Dončić and the rest of the squad to resume training Monday at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana.
Slovenia will face Great Britain on Tuesday in its final home exhibition before traveling to Serbia.
Luka Dončić Shines Early Before Exit
Dončić picked up where he left off after making his summer debut earlier in the week, pouring in 15 first-quarter points as Slovenia built a 31–21 lead. By halftime, he had scored exactly half of Slovenia’s points, finishing with 26 in 20 minutes along with five assists.
Latvia surged after the break with an 18–0 run, seizing momentum while Dončić was sidelined. Slovenia’s offense sputtered despite double-figure efforts from Klemen Prepelič and Gregor Hrovat, who each added 15 points.
Aleksander Sekulić: “The Start of the Game Was a Dream”
Head coach Aleksander Sekulić praised the opening stretch led by Dončić but lamented how quickly the game turned after halftime.
“The start of the game was a dream,” Sekulić said. “Dončić was fantastic, he played himself and everyone around him. But it’s true that it’s difficult to play at such a pace against a team like Latvia with excellent scorers and the versatile Porziņģis. We started the second half very poorly. We came out of the locker room too soft, indecisive, and allowed our opponent to play. We were also left without Dončić, but we still responded well to the hosts’ lead and were right on their heels until the end.”
He added frustration with officiating but looked ahead positively: “If it weren’t for those few black minutes at the beginning of the second half, the match could have turned the other way, and it’s certainly not just the referees who were very biased, to say the least. After returning to Slovenia, we will have to undergo quite a few medical examinations, as we took quite a few blows in Riga.”
Gregor Hrovat: “I’m Proud of How We Came Together”
Hrovat, who tied Prepelič for Slovenia’s second-leading scorer, emphasized the team’s resilience after Dončić left the floor.
“We have a tough match behind us against a strong opponent who had a full home stadium on their side,” Hrovat said. “We competed well with them for 36 minutes, but those four at the beginning of the second half cost us a better result. I’m proud of how we came together when Luka Dončić left the court and proved that we can compete with the best. I have a positive feeling before the next matches.”
What’s Next for Luka Dončić
Despite dropping four consecutive warm-up games, Slovenia will have its full roster available moving forward, with Dončić cleared of any serious injury.
Tuesday’s matchup against Great Britain at Stožice will be the last chance for home fans to see the team before EuroBasket tips off later this month in Katowice, Poland.
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