The Dallas Mavericks are determined to replicate last season’s success and make a return to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year. With Luka Doncic leading the charge and key players like Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson rounding out the roster, they have the talent to contend. However, Doncic has already set his sights on other goals for 2025, regardless of how Dallas fare this season.
Following the Dallas Mavericks’ 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday, Doncic revealed that he has already committed to playing for the Slovenian National Team at EuroBasket 2025. “I’m looking forward to just playing for my country,” the 25-year-old guard shared in an interview with DallasHoopsJournal.com.
Slovenia recently secured their qualification for EuroBasket 2025 by narrowly defeating Portugal 83-82 in the fourth game of the qualifying round. While two more games remain in February next year, Slovenia’s spot in the tournament is already locked in.
“Obviously, I’m going to play. It’s a pride, a joy to play for your own country every time I can. So, I’m going to do it,” Doncic continued, emphasizing his excitement to compete in Europe’s premier national team competition. “That would be a dream come true, playing in front of fans in such a big tournament like EuroBasket.”
Luka Doncic #77 of Slovenia in action during the FIBA Basketball World Cup Classification 7-8 game between Italy and Slovenia at Mall of Asia Arena on September 09, 2023 in Manila, Philippines.
When will EuroBasket 2025 be played?
The EuroBasket 2025 qualifying stage will conclude in February, with the top three teams from each of the eight groups securing a spot in the tournament, confirming the 24 teams that will participate. The competition will be jointly hosted by four countries: Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia, with Latvia overseeing the knockout stages.
EuroBasket 2025 is scheduled to begin on August 27, with the final taking place on September 14. This timeline allows Luka Doncic to participate in the tournament without conflicting with his NBA schedule. Should the Dallas Mavericks make another deep playoff run, their quest for an NBA Finals appearance would not overlap with the European competition. Additionally, Luka would have ample time to rest and recover after his Slovenia duties, rejoining the Mavericks ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.
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Doncic with Slovenia
EuroBasket 2025 will mark Luka Doncic’s fifth major international tournament with Slovenia. His first opportunity came at just 18 years old, when he helped his country obtain the EuroBasket 2017 title. In the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Slovenia narrowly missed a podium finish, losing to Australia in the bronze medal game.
At EuroBasket 2022, Doncic led Slovenia to the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Poland. Slovenia’s most recent international tournament was the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where they finished seventh. Despite the disappointing result, Luka was selected for the All-Tournament Team.
Slovenia did not qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after being eliminated by Greece in the preliminary qualification. For Doncic, EuroBasket 2025 presents a chance to close that chapter and provide a platform for his country to return to the top of European basketball.
