Dončić back with Slovenia after knee scare ahead of EuroBasket

Luka Dončić shook off a late-game scare and returned to the Slovenian national team practice after a right knee contusion during an exhibition against Latvia, as Slovenia ramps up its EuroBasket preparations. He left the game in the third quarter but quickly rejoined the squad and finished with a game-high 26 points, nine of those from the free-throw line after a tense moment when a teammate collided with his knee. He’s slated to rejoin full-team practice on Aug. 18 with a pivotal date looming: a matchup with Great Britain in Ljubljana as the national team builds toward the 2025 EuroBasket later this month. The team has not yet confirmed his status for the Great Britain game, though he remained on the bench with the squad’s captaincy presence intact.

The incident comes amid a high-stakes summer arc for Dončić. After a career-altering move last season—from the Mavericks to the Lakers in a trade centered on shifting who surrounds him—he signed a substantial long-term contract that signals a continued commitment to Los Angeles. The move has been accompanied by a highly publicized, at-times scrutinized emphasis on conditioning, a focus Dončić himself has described as essential to...