Luka Doncic

 

Who is Luka Doncic?

Luka Doncic has quickly become one of the NBA's most talented young stars since entering the league in 2018. The 24-year-old Slovenian sensation was selected 3rd by Atlanta before being traded to Dallas, where he has shined over his first four seasons.

USA Today via Reuters

He took Spain's ACB League and EuroLeague by storm as a teenager for Real Madrid, winning EuroLeague MVP at 19 before making the jump to the NBA. Doncic has averaged over 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists the past three seasons, earning back-to-back All-NBA First Team nods.

Luka Doncic's early life

Luka Doncic was born and brought up in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Interestingly, Luka first touched a basketball when he was just seven months old as his father, Sasa, was a professional player turned coach. The Slovenian's love for the game increased as he grew older and he continued to improve at a rapid pace as well.

Doncic started playing for his hometown club Union Olimpija and often practiced with kids much older than him because of his advanced skill set. When he was 13, Luka took a huge step in his life and career, when he moved to Madrid, Spain to play for Real Madrid. He graduated high school in Spain and did not go to college.

Luka Doncic's family and personal life

Luka Doncic was born on February 28, 1999 to Mirjam Poterbin and Sasa Doncic. His parents separated and subsequently divorced in 2018 when the Dallas Mavericks star was nine years old. The custody and legal guardianship of Luka was reportedly granted to his mother.

Mirjam was a model who even participated in the Miss Slovenia pageant in 1993. After her modeling career, she ran a beauty salon with her mother. Sasa Doncic played basketball for 17 years and has multiple accolades to his name. He has also played for the Slovenian national team. After retiring in 2010, Saša Dončić started his coaching career in 2022.

According to multiple reports, Luka has been in a long-term relationship with the Slovenian model Anamaria Goltes. Goltes is also from Ljubljana, Slovenia, and went to the same school as Luka when she was young. However, the couple first met in Croatia during a vacation when they were just 12. Goltes is a model who has a massive following on social media. In 2016, Anamaria moved to the U.S. to pursue her modeling career.

The year also marked the start of a romantic relationship between the two childhood friends. The couple reportedly hit a rough patch in 2018 but are still going strong. In July 2023, Doncic got engaged to his longtime girlfriend Anamaria Goltes, and became a father to a baby girl named Gabriela.

Luka Doncic's Net Worth 2024

Luka Doncic signed a five-year $215 million contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks in 2021, which earned him over $37 million for the 2022-23 season. The massive contract will fetch him over $40 million for the next season and he will receive an average salary of $43 million. So far, Doncic has reportedly made over $69 million in NBA salaries. Luka has an estimated net worth of $25 million, according to various reports. Furthermore, the combo guard also makes millions every year from his endorsements and partnerships.

Luka Doncic's basketball career

Luka Doncic grabbed the attention of major teams in Europe after impressing with his displays for local club Union Olimpija. In 2012, Real Madrid came calling and signed Luka for a five-year contract when he was just 13. The young star continued his development while playing for the under-16s and led the team to a Minicopa Endesa win in 2013. For his unreal performances, Doncic was named the MVP of the under-16 championship. He carried on his impressive development with the under-18s in the next few seasons.

During the 2014-15 season, Doncic made his professional debut for Real Madrid at the age of just 16. In the next season, he became a regular for the senior team. The years that followed saw the dominance of Doncic grow in the Spanish league. In the 2017-18 season, he led Real Madrid to a EuroLeague triumph and was named the EuroLeague MVP for his displays. He also helped the team clinch the Liga ACB title and took home the Liga ACB MVP honors as well.

Doncic then declared for the 2018 NBA draft. The Atlanta Hawks selected him as the 3rd overall pick and then traded him on the same day for Trae Young who was drafted as the 5th pick by the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic hit the ground running for the Mavs and won the Rookie of the Year award, averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He astonished everyone with his maturity on the hardwood and the ability to control the pace of the game despite being very young. Doncic made his first-ever NBA All-Star appearance in his sophomore year. He has made the team for four straight years ever since.

Doncic led the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2010-11 season. However, he could not help the team past the eventual champions the Golden State Warriors. Given the teams' heroics in the playoffs last season, there were huge expectations from Luka and the Mavericks for the 2022-23 season. Doncic started the season great and was in the MVP race for most of the campaign. However, the team struggled massively in the concluding stages of the season and failed to make it to the playoffs eventually.

In January 2023, Dončić was awarded the Western Conference Player of the Month award for his play during December, the third of his career. He was also named a Western Conference starter for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fourth consecutive selection. During a game in March, Kyrie Irving scored 40 points while his teammate, Luka Dončić, scored 42 points. It was the first time in Dallas franchise history that two players scored 40 points in the same game. 

In March, he surpassed Mark Aguirre’s previous record for the most 30-point games in a season in Mavericks history. Following this, in October, Dončić became the first player in Mavericks history to put up a 30-point triple-double in a season-opening game. On the 25th of December 2023, Dončić became the sixth player to reach 10,000 career regular-season points before turning 25, tied Bob McAdoo for reaching 10,000 points in the 7th-fewest games in NBA history, and became the quickest to 10,000 points among active players with 358 games. This is the fastest since Michael Jordan. He also tied for 3rd-most points for Christmas Day games, behind Bernard King and Wilt Chamberlain.

Luka Doncic contracts

2022/23Dallas Mavericks$37,096,500 ($38,197,960*)
2021/22Dallas Mavericks$10,174,391 ($11,425,631*)
2020/21Dallas Mavericks$8,049,360 ($9,526,612*)
2019/20Dallas Mavericks$7,683,360 ($9,152,162*)
2018/19Dallas Mavericks$6,569,040 ($7,953,812*)

 

Luka Doncic's career stats

NBA regular season stats:

Games played - 365

Points per game - 28.2

Rebounds per game - 8.5

Assists per game - 8.1

 

NBA playoffs stats:

Games played - 28

Points per game - 32.5

Rebounds per game - 9.3

Assists per game - 7.9

Luka Doncic's endorsements and investments

During his time with Real Madrid in 2017, Luka Doncic signed a two-year contract with Nike. Then in 2019, Doncic signed a deal with the Jordan brand after entering the NBA. In September 2022, the Jordan brand launched Doncic's first signature shoe, the Luka 1. His other important endorsement deals are with NBA2K, BioSteel, and Panini. He reportedly earns around $6 to $10 million per year from endorsements.

Luka Doncic's major achievements and awards

4× NBA All-Star (2020–2023)

 

4× All-NBA First Team (2020–2023)

 

NBA Rookie of the Year (2019)

 

NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019)

 

FIBA World Cup Top Scorer (2023)

 

All-FIBA World Cup Team (2023)

 

Olympics All-Star Team (2020)

 

All-EuroBasket Team (2017)

 

EuroLeague champion (2018)

 

EuroLeague MVP (2018)

 

EuroLeague Final Four MVP (2018)

 

All-EuroLeague First Team (2018)

 

2× EuroLeague Rising Star (2017, 2018)

 

EuroLeague 2010–20 All-Decade Team (2020)

 

Euroscar Player of the Year (2019)

 

3× Liga ACB champion (2015, 2016, 2018)

 

Liga ACB MVP (2018)

 

All-Liga ACB First Team (2018)

 

2× ACB Best Young Player (2017, 2018)

 

3× ACB All-Young Players Team (2016–2018)

 

2× Spanish King's Cup winner (2016, 2017)

 

2× Trofeo Costa de Sol champion (2016, 2017)

 

FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (2015)

 

EB Next Generation Tournament champion (2015)

 

EB Next Generation Tournament MVP (2015)

 

Sports Illustrated Breakout of the Year (2019)

 

Slovenian Sportsman of the Year (2018)

Luka Doncic's charity and foundation

Luka Doncic founded the Luka Doncic Foundation to help children in need. The foundation aims to improve the health and well-being of children through play. It reportedly provides play therapy, play access, play environments, and play challenges to kids. So far, Luka has helped many children in need with his foundation. In December 2022, Doncic accomplished extraordinary philanthropic and outreach work which earned him a nomination for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award. Recently, he made the day of a young fan by offering him a trip to watch his favorite stars play in the NBA All-Star game. Over the years, he has also made contributions to other organizations such as The Dallas Mavericks Foundation and The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation.

Luka Doncic's house

Luka Doncic reportedly purchased a $2.7 million mansion in Preston Hollow, Dallas in 2020. The estate spans over 5,225 square feet with four bedrooms and five bathrooms. The property also has a four-car garage, a garden with a swimming pool, and other luxury amenities.

Luka Doncic cars

Doncic is a huge car enthusiast as well and has some expensive cars in his collection. According to reports, he has an Audi A7 ($69,200), a Porsche Panamera ($109,000), a Porsche 911 Turbo S ($216,100), and the Mansory Lamborghini Urus ($221,506). Furthermore, he recently added a custom-made post-apocalyptic themed six-wheel truck named "Hellfire Apocalypse Truck. Doncic reportedly spent over $250k for the purchase of the vehicle.

Luka Doncic’s shoe deal

In December 2021, Doncic signed a 5-year shoe deal worth $207 million with Nike. Under the Jordan Brand, this makes Doncic one of the highest-paid endorsers in the NBA. Only LeBron James and Kevin Durant earn more from their shoe deals. Doncic's first signature shoe with Jordan Brand - the Jordan Luka 1 - was released in January 2023. The deal will extend through 2026-27, covering the prime years of his career.

Luka Doncic rings

Luka Doncic has not won any NBA championship rings and is still searching for his first title. Nevertheless, Doncic is already a 3-time NBA All-Star and 2-time All-NBA First Team selection.

With his incredible skill at such a young age, 24, most experts believe it is only a matter of time before Doncic wins his first championship and gets fitted for his first championship ring. However, he will have to get through the powerhouse teams in the West like the Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Suns to bring a title to Dallas.

 

Luka Doncic's social media accounts

Instagram@lukadoncic
Twitter@luka7doncic
Facebook@LukaDoncic

 

Full NameLuka Doncic
Popular NameLuka Doncic
Birth Date28 February, 1999
Birth PlaceLjubljana, Slovenia
Age24
Height6'7" (2.01 m)
Weight230 lbs (104 kg)
ParentsSasa Doncic and Mirjam Poterbin
NationalitySlovenian
EthnicityWhite
Net Worth$25 million
Salary$37 million
SpouseAnamaria Goltes
Relationship/Marital StatusIn a relationship
ProfessionBasketball player
TeamDallas Mavericks

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