?Not a New Role for Me?: Shortly After Taking the Captaincy of Slovenia, Luka Doncic Sends a Clear Message to 31YO Mavericks Teammate Kyrie Irving

The 2022-23 NBA season packed a lot for?Luka Doncic. From stacking 32.4 points in 66 games to failing to make the playoffs, the journey was filled with significant ups and downs. However, before commencing the upcoming NBA season with his new teammate?Kyrie Irving, Luka is all set to dominate the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Slovenia has included Luka Doncic in its 20-player extended roster for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Their Basketball World Cup campaign will commence in Okinawa, Japan. Slovenia will compete in Group F alongside Cape Verde, Georgia, and Venezuela.

The 24-year-old star from the Dallas Mavericks is one of two NBA players on Aleksander Sukelic’s list for the national squad. The other NBA player chosen is Vlatko Cancar, a recent NBA champion with the?Denver Nuggets. After months of rigorous training, Luka has already joined his teammates. In a media session, he acknowledged his previous performance and the upcoming challenge of FIBA.

Luka Doncic looks motivated to dominate

In less than a week before his first performance for the national team this year, Luka addressed the public at a press conference in Ljubljana.
On August 2, 2023, at 4:00:00 PM UTC, Slovenia and Greece will be playing against each other as part of the International Friendly Games. His appointment as squad captain was a significant honor bestowed upon him by his teammates. However, this time, Luka will face the challenge without his star teammates Goran Dragi? and Ed Muri?.

Goran Dragic chose not to participate professionally with the national team, but he assured them that he would be around to support them. Unfortunately, Ed Muri?, the former Slovenia captain, has to sit out the tournament due to an ACL injury. With these key players absent, the press inquired about the pressure on Luka’s shoulders.

Despite the weight of expectations, Luka is no stranger to leadership roles.?”It is not a new role. I was already captain in the national team, also in Dallas. I don’t know how to prepare. It comes along. It cannot be learned. If you have it, you have it,??Luka said.

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Last year’s surprising upset against Poland was a bitter pill to swallow for Doncic, and he promised the nation that he would redeem himself.?“I disappointed my team. I’ve let the whole country down that’s rooting for us. It’s not me. I have to be better.”?This year, Luka has not only been fueled by the memory of that loss but also transformed his body to be in peak physical condition.

Luka looks in more shape than ever

At the end of 2021, Luka was gaining a significant amount of weight, going from 230 lbs to 260 lbs. Despite no change in his offensive generation, he was constantly criticized for it. It came to a point where Dallas Mavericks asked the superstar?to shed some weight. A recent video on Twitter shows Luka attending his first practice with the Slovenian national team while?being in better shape?than his recent years.

Slovenia enters the 2023 FIBA World Cup as group favorites, holding the highest FIBA ranking at seventh. Their main objective is to clinch a top-two spot among European teams, earning a direct ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Slovenia’s prospects look bright as Greece will miss Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Serbia will be without the current champion?Nikola Jokic.

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All eyes are on Luka Doncic and the Slovenian team, as they aim to leave their mark and secure an Olympic berth.