We all knew that the young Ljubljana native is an exceptional talent. We all knew that he has become an excellent basketball player. And we all knew that his versatility is one-of-a-kind. But practically no-one expected the young player’s genius that was on display at his first tournament. He had already put in brilliant performances in preparation games and proved that he will be, along with Goran Dragić, the driving force of the national team. Even when he spoke to the Slovenian media, he mentioned winning a medal as his goal, and he made the wish come true at his first major tournament.

Members of the national team showed growth from game to game and timed the peak of their form very effectively. At first it seemed that Dončić didn’t quite rise up to the challenge. In the first two games of the tournament, he seemed somewhat reserved. He played well in terms of statistics, but he lacked a certain playfulness and effectiveness. However, he excelled in the game against Greece, when he was the key factor behind Slovenia’s comeback. His growth continued after that. In the playoff rounds, he showed a great deal of maturity and a wide range of basketball skills and came close to a triple-double, a significant feat that only three players have managed at EuroBasket tournaments.

Tears of disappointment have turned onto tears of joy
Luka managed to provide some relief for Goran in offence and gave the team a significant breadth. He took over a substantial share of the responsibility and contributed to innovative gameplay. He excelled in “pick and roll” plays, which he concluded himself. He also made passes to available players whom he sought out after drawing two of the opponents’ players on himself. With a statistical index of 18.7, he was the second most successful player of the Slovenian team behind Dragić. A scoring index of 14.3 also made him the second most effective scorer behind the captain, and with an assist index of 3.6 – he was the second best in terms of assists. 8.1 jumps made him number one in terms of rebounds. In the playoff rounds, he proved that he doesn’t crack under pressure. In key moments, he made the decisions about the most decisive attacks, while still displaying a childish sense of playfulness whenever he managed an outstanding play. But during the most important game, the battle for the gold, he found himself in tears 15 minutes before the end of play. The reason: an ankle injury that prevented him from finishing the game.

Before the injury, he had played almost 23 minutes, scored eight points and seven rebounds. With a stellar play, when he ran down the entire court and made a slam dunk, he managed to get his fellow players on the bench and 7000 fans to their feet. Slovenia had to play the final minute without the “baby-faced killer,” who is such an important part of the team. However, other players took over and managed to replace Dragić, who was also unable to finish the game. “The entire team is responsible for this achievement. Everyone on the hardwood gave it his best. Not just Goran, Prepelič, Vidmar, or me. We all made this gold possible. Hats off to the entire team. I still can’t believe that we won the gold. Our defense won the game once again. The last three minutes were decisive, when we played defensively and went all the way,” said the 18-year-old Real Madrid player.

Proving that they could beat anyone
Dončić had most recently left the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul disappointed when his team fell short of expectations in the Euroleague Final Four. He was in tears once again yesterday, but those tears turned into tears of joy after the outstanding conclusion of the game. “I feel great. Unbelievable. We’re the European champions. I don’t know what to say,” “Donke” said after the game, when he managed to forget about his ankle injury amid the celebrations. He attended the game and soaked Dragić, Klemen Prepelič, and Igor Kokoškov, who gave him such a big role, as well as his three assistants, in champagne. “The ankle is fine. I’ll be back in a week or two. No problem,” he said and continued: “The worst part was when I realized that I wouldn’t be able to help the team. I was disappointed and very angry.” Europe’s best basketball player caused a limited euphoria even before the tournament, but now all of Slovenia is crazy about him: “When the fans welcomed me so warmly at the Stožice Arena, I realized what this meant to them. They were exceptional here in Istanbul and I congratulate them. My thanks go out to all those who supported us – all of Slovenia. I’m speechless. I dedicate the medal to all of Slovenia.”