Luka Dončić has officially withdrawn from the Slovenian national basketball team for the summer of 2026. He announced his decision on 12 May 2026, shortly after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dončić announced on Instagram that he must prioritise his daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, over basketball for the first time in his career. His decision to skip Slovenia’s national duty this summer is a direct result of a highly publicised legal battle with his former fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. In an Instagram post, Dončić stated that his daughters are his top priority and that it has been "extremely difficult" to see them over the past eight months.

The custody battle is complicated by a "jurisdictional tug-of-war" spanning two continents. In February 2026, Dončić filed an interim injunction in Slovenia seeking immediate access to his daughters, claiming they were being "withheld" from him. Conversely, Anamaria Goltes filed a petition in California for child support and legal fees. Dončić’s legal team, led by celebrity "Disso Queen" attorney Laura Wasser, is fighting to dismiss this, arguing Slovenia is the proper forum since the children reside there. A critical hearing is scheduled for August 14, 2026, to determine which country’s courts will handle the final custody and support rulings.

What led to this judicial conflict?

The judicial conflict between Luka Dončić and Anamaria Goltes stems from a breakdown in their decade-long relationship, primarily over their daughters' residency and financial support. Dončić and Goltes reportedly split because she refused to move to the United States with their children. Dončić stated that he ended the engagement because he was unable to have his daughters with him in the U.S. during the NBA season. Tensions peaked during the birth of their second daughter, Olivia, in Slovenia.

Dončić wanted to bring their older daughter, Gabriela, back to the U.S. with him. A heated disagreement ensued, and Goltes called the police at the Kranj Maternity Hospital after Dončić left. Officers found no evidence of a criminal offense, and Dončić returned to the U.S. that day. He reportedly has not seen his daughters since this visit.