Representing Slovenia means everything to Luka Doncic. He’s played every possible tournament, from qualifying rounds to the finals. The Slovenian damn near drained himself to help Slovenia qualify for the Olympics. But for the first time since being a teenager who wore the jersey, he’s asking for a break this summer. His hamstring isn’t an issue. Doncic wants to spend as much time with his daughters, something that hasn’t been possible over the last eight months.

Which is why he took to his Instagram story to share his commitment towards his daughters.

“I love my daughters more than anything and they will always come first in my life… I have been forced to make a difficult decision between travelling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer. Unfortunately, it has been extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months,” Doncic wrote, announcing his withdrawal from the national team for the games during the summer.

The Lakers star is currently engrossed in a custody battle for his daughters with former fiancée Anamaria Goltes. Since travelling to Slovenia for the birth of his second daughter, Olivia, Luka Doncic hasn’t seen his daughters. His elder daughter, Gabrielle, only spent three months in California with Doncic during the spring. The six-time All-Star feels his responsibility to be a father takes precedence over his commitment to the Slovenian national team.

Doncic highlighted the same during his exit interview after the Thunder swept the Lakers. “First of all, I want to spend time with my daughters, and that’s probably the only thing on my mind right now,” said the Lakers star.

Luka Doncic will miss the final phase of the World Cup qualifying games for Slovenia. He couldn’t participate during the first window due to his NBA commitments. His absence to secure a place in the next round may complicate things for the national team. However, as much as it must be paining him to leave his teammates hanging, it’s time for Doncic to be a father.

Imagine, the last time he saw Olivia was the time she was born. Doncic’s daughters mean everything to him, setting no limitations on spending on their upbringing. So he’s going to utilise the summer to establish and maintain a father-daughter relationship with his daughters. Amidst the same, Doncic may also have to fight for joint custody.

Luka Doncic continues to focus on recovery

The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes fell apart once Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring strain. They managed to get past the Houston Rockets in the first round. That added some intrigue to Doncic’s possible return. However, with an eight-week timeline, even getting Platelet-rich plasma injections in Spain didn’t help accelerate recovery in time.

Doncic could only offer support from the bench. He watched each of the four games the Lakers played against the top-seeded OKC. Without his influence, which amounts to 33.5 points and 8.6 assists per game, the Purple and Gold couldn’t cope with OKC’s depth.

Best believe, Luka Doncic doesn’t want to be caught staring at playoff games again. He’s thinking about ways to spend time with his daughters. But he hasn’t forgotten about his next season with the Lakers. “Obviously, put the work in and come back ready for the season,” he said during his exit interview.

The former Mavericks sensation is preparing for another purposeful summer. Last time, he focused entirely on getting into the best shape of his life, leading to one of his best individual campaigns. This offseason, Doncic is looking for emotional growth to best look after his two daughters.