The 18-year-old star of basketball in Europe and worldwide, who will probably move from Madrid across the Atlantic to NBA quite soon, has posted a photo on Instagram. It shows Dončić standing next to his ill grandfather, who’s lying in a hospital bed and is hooked up to several tubes and machines, and has put his gold medal on his grandpa’s chest. He also added a message to the photo: “He is the real fighter and champion!! Take care Grandfather!!”

Dončić, who had been inspiring European fans of basketball in the past two weeks with his playing as well as his positivity, relaxed attitude, friendship and who had dedicated his gold medal to “all Slovenia”, did not attend Tuesday’s news conference organised by the Slovenian Basketball Association. He already had to fly to Madrid in the afternoon, where he plays for the “royal” Real Madrid basketball club.

His “golden girls”
In the days of basketball euphoria, when Slovenia revelled in the series of victories by its national team, the fans also got to know the other members of the Dončić family. His father Saša is the expert commentator of basketball matches, while his grandmother Milena Poterbin, his mother Mirjam Poterbin and his girlfriend Anamarija Goltes cheered for him (and the rest of the team) enthusiastically from the grandstand of the Sinan Erdem Arena.

Luka’s grandmother Milena Poterbin also came to Monday’s reception of the team at the Congress Square in Ljubljana and explained to MMC: “I’ve been encouraging him since day one, since he started playing basketball. I’ve been to all his matches, and also now I go to Madrid every month and spend at least a week there.”