Why is Luka Doncic not playing tonight against Lithuania? Latest injury update on Slovenia’s superstar status for EuroBasket preparation game

Luka Doncic has been ruled out for Slovenia’s EuroBasket 2025 preparation game against Lithuania on Friday. The LA Lakers superstar will sit this game out as the team has only planned for him to play in one of two back-to-back games, according to Iztok Franko.

Doncic is expected to be back in the lineup for Slovenia’s game against Latvia on Saturday. While fans speculate that he could be injured, Slovenia's coaching team clarified earlier this week that the NBA superstar will be playing limited minutes leading up to the tournament.

It's a calculated move by the national team as they look to protect their most valuable asset. This will be Doncic's ninth year representing the team at the senior level since making his debut in 2016.

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Since entering the NBA, he has been one of the more prominent players in the league, but he has not received the same attention for his overseas exploits. However, this has been a big summer for the Lakers' superstar, with him getting into the best shape of his career.

Fans are looking forward to catching a glimpse of what Doncic can do following his transformation. More fans than ever are expected to tune in to the Slovenian's upcoming games as Luka Doncic leads them through EuroBasket 2025.

EuroBasket 2025 will mark Luka Doncic's 8th international tournament for Slovenia

Luka Doncic made his international basketball debut for Slovenia in 2016 at the age of 17. He participated in the EuroBasket qualifiers that year before going on to play in the tournament in 2017.

Starting from there, Doncic represented his country at seven international tournaments and is looking to lead them through another campaign this year. His international record is impressive.

According to FIBA's website, Doncic has made 41 senior appearances for Slovenia, averaging 23.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.5 assists. While his level of play has been stellar, Slovenia hasn't reached the heights it did in 2017.

Luka Doncic won the EuroBasket tournament with his national team that year and has not returned to the latter stages of the tournament since. Doncic and Co. will kick off their 2025 EuroBasket journey against Poland on August 29.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan