Slovenia’s most iconic basketball figure is back with the national team, just in time for their EuroBasket 2025 preparations. After months of speculation, workouts, and rumors, Luka is expected to finally return to live action Friday night against Germany. The game marks Slovenia’s first warm-up in a packed exhibition schedule ahead of the European Championship, as well as Luka’s first on-court appearance since the NBA playoffs ended.

This is also the first time fans will get a glimpse of the Lakers’ new franchise cornerstone in his transformed physique. Doncic has been in the spotlight all offseason after committing long-term to Los Angeles, but today the focus shifts back to his national pride. Luka Doncic addressed the media and shared a candid update ahead of Friday’s matchup against the reigning world champions.

Speaking on Thursday, he said, “I still feel bit jet lagged, but I think it will pass soon. I probably won’t play whole game, but I think there will be enough minutes. Depends how my body feels. I haven’t play 5 on 5 in a long time. It’s a completely different rythem. But I feel good.” This is the first time Doncic is stepping into full-court five-on-five since the end of the NBA season.

Doncic admits his EuroBasket is a step ahead the 2026 NBA season to shake off the rust . However, he’ll be on the floor, even if it is in a limited role. As Slovenia begins their EuroBasket warm-up run. “Luka is also expected to play against Germany at least, that’s the plan,” Aleksander Sekulic the Slovenia’s head coach, declared last week that Luka would be available for the Germany game.

The German matchup will be the first in a string of important friendlies for the Slovenian team. These games are set to have the squad in rhythm. Leading up to the tournament, Slovenia will play a total of six friendly matches before the group play in Katowice later this month. And the opponents included strong European teams, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Great Britain, and Serbia. The friendlies will start on Friday, August 9, and last until August 21. The group stage then tips off on August 28 for Slovenia with a game against Poland.

Luka Doncic will play for Slovenia, if he can

Meanwhile, the EuroBasket run comes just days after Luka Doncic finalised a three-year, $165 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. After almost getting fined by Adam Silver for spilling the beans on a talk show. But for now, with the deal being all finalised, Luka is tied to the franchise through at least 2028. With a player option built into the final year. “Being a Laker is an honor, and I wanted to be here,” Doncic said at the press conference in El Segundo. “I want my name up there someday.”

And as soon as he had signed the deal, he was spotted on the other side of the Atlantic. Rejoining his national squad, showing his commitment to Slovenia. Luka is likely determined to play, something he has said in his own words.

“If I can play, I’ll always play,” Doncic told Svet24. The excitement in Slovenia is real. A video circling the internet shows Luka smiling and reconnecting with teammates after months away from the court. “This year, I had a bit more time and a different plan,” he explained about his offseason. “It was hard at first, but then it becomes a habit.”

After grilling in the gym and taking dieting to the extreme, Luka’s transformation isn’t just aesthetic…it’s strategic. He cut his weight and improved his conditioning for a “fresh start.”

In a recent edition of Men’s Health, he showed off the results of a summer built around two-a-day workouts, intermittent fasting, and a low-sugar, gluten-free regimen. Whether that transformation helps Slovenia land the EuroBasket title remains to be seen.