Another day, another time Brian Windhorst has talked himself into the crosshairs of NBA media and fans alike. Once more, it’s about broaching the Luka Doncic subject too. Fans already perceive an inherent bias towards the Los Angeles Lakers guard by Windy. Yet even when Doncic’s sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring injury, his update sounds like he’s not satisfied with what Luka’s doing to get back to the court. So when Windy commented on Doncic’s recent trip to Spain, another insider had to fact check him.

During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Windhorst suggested that Doncic’s travel to Spain was not primarily for medical reasons, hinting instead that the Lakers sent him overseas because his grade 2 hamstring injury was so severe that he “wouldn’t be doing anything for a few weeks anyway.”

“I’m a big actions-over-words guy. When Luka got hurt, they sent him to Spain for treatment. You hear about Germany, but not Spain,” Windhorst said, skeptically questioning the medical legitimacy of the trip. He went on to heavily imply that the journey was largely personal: “Luka also has a newborn in Slovenia, and he lives in Madrid in the offseason. I’m not saying anything specific, but sending him overseas didn’t indicate a minor injury.”

These claims were quickly dismantled by local podcaster Matej Petek, who called out the ESPN insider on social media, writing: “Luka doesn’t live in Madrid in the offseason and Spain is well known for their stem cell/PRP treatments. Windhorst is completely wrong here. Not the first time for him when it comes to Luka.”

Matej Petek is a Slovenian basketball analyst who’s followed Doncic his entire career, even through the Slovenian national team. He’s often cleared the air surrounding misreporting on the Slovenian star. NBA fans attach more credibility to his reports on all things Luka over Brian Windhorst.

But Windy seems to paint a dire picture about the Doncic’s return. “I’ve seen guys come back early from hamstring injuries, and no bueno—it can be tough. If it’s a Grade 2 strain, that’s four to six weeks [of recovery], and it’s been four [already for Doncic]. Six weeks might even be the end of the season. Even if he came back in two weeks, that wouldn’t be out of line for a grade two. They didn’t say it was a minor strain—they announced a Grade 2.”

He also said that Doncic hasn’t taken steps to rehab his injury. Reports have confirmed he’s not back to full workouts and contact practices yet. But to most of Doncic’s fans, Windy’s tone sounded like he’s bringing back the ‘lazy’ narrative about Doncic that came up in the 2025 trade from Dallas to LA.

Luka Doncic’s Spanish trip was documented well enough

Beyond the debunked rumors of his offseason residence, Windhorst’s skepticism regarding Spanish sports medicine fell flat. Spain is globally recognized as a premier destination for elite athletes seeking cutting-edge therapies. There was enough reportage on the hamstring treatment when Luka Doncic landed there.

While in Europe, Doncic reportedly underwent specialized platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell treatments—procedures that are heavily utilized in Europe under regulatory frameworks that offer more flexibility than those in the United States.

The trip, however, also carried immense personal significance and gave him a breather from the NBA grind too. Amid an ongoing, bitter custody battle with his former partner, Anamaria Goltes, the trip allowed Doncic to finally reunite with his two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, in Slovenia. Additionally, the superstar was spotted in Madrid, where he met up with tennis legend Novak Djokovic to watch a EuroLeague game between Real Madrid (his former team) and Crvena Zvezda, receiving a emotional welcome from the fans of his former club.

Despite the cutting-edge treatments, Doncic’s recovery timeline remains shrouded in uncertainty. Having suffered the injury on April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, recent updates indicate he remains out on a week-to-week basis. The Lakers officially ruled him out for the start of their highly anticipated postseason matchups, with reports suggesting he has yet to progress to full running or recovery conditioning.

With the Lakers heavily reliant on a 41-year-old LeBron James to carry the playmaking load and with Austin Reaves still lacking conditioning after three playoff games, fans are anxiously waiting to see if Spain’s advanced medical procedures will pay off in time for Doncic to save Los Angeles’ postseason run.