Luka Doncic continues to dominate EuroBasket 2025, establishing himself as the tournament’s leading scorer while carrying Slovenia to the Quarter-Finals. Despite limited support from his teammates, the Los Angeles Lakers star has been the driving force behind his national team’s unlikely run, leaving analysts in awe and fans wondering if he can take them even further.
Brian Windhorst compares Luka Doncic’s run to carrying G-Leaguers
Former Team Italy coach Gianmarco Pozzecco summed it up best before facing Slovenia: “If we are talking about Slovenia, we have to talk about Luka Doncic… Luka is like something different.” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst echoed those sentiments on NBA Today, saying he was stunned Slovenia advanced this far, adding, “That would be like Luka walking into play NBA games with all G-Leaguers, essentially, and winning. He has been absolutely dominant.”
Doncic’s numbers back it up. Through six games, he is averaging 34.0 points on 61.4% shooting inside the arc, 32.3% from three, and nearly 90% at the line. Other than two outings with 26 points each against Belgium and Iceland, he has scored over 30 points in every other matchup. One more 30-point game would tie him with Greek legend Nikos Galis for the most in a single EuroBasket tournament.
His 42-point explosion against Italy highlighted just how reliant Slovenia is on him. That night, he scored half of his team’s total, while Klemen Prepelic was the only other Slovenian in double figures with 11 points. Meanwhile, no other Slovenian player ranks in the tournament’s top 50 scorers, a stark contrast to Doncic sitting firmly at No. 1.
Windhorst noted that Slovenia had won just one of seven preparation games before EuroBasket, making this turnaround even more impressive. He praised Doncic’s ability to “crush the Italians in the round of 16” and suggested that even reaching the final would rank among the great modern international basketball performances. Still, he warned that defending champions Germany are likely to aggressively double-team him in the next round.
Yet while analysts view Slovenia as a one-man show, Doncic himself doesn’t see it that way.
After Italy won, Doncic deflected credit to his teammates, saying,
“Why are we special? Because everyone plays for each other. We get along great, the chemistry is at its peak. Sometimes we ‘argue,’ but that’s part of sports – on the court, we just want to help each other.”
His leadership has shown in more than just his play. During a timeout against Italy, Doncic could be heard urging calm: “We’re up by seven, calm the f*** down, everyone. You’re all nervous… Focus, we don’t need to fight each other. We’re against them, not against ourselves.” Slovenia held on to win, underscoring how vital his voice is to the squad.
Even earlier in the summer, when Slovenia stumbled through warm-up games, Doncic reportedly had “strong words” with teammates after a loss to Serbia. Veteran Edo Muric later admitted those conversations helped clear the air, while NBA reporter Jeff Pagaduan defended Doncic’s passion, noting his frustration comes from a deep desire to win.
For Slovenia, Doncic is more than just a scorer. He’s the leader holding the group together, the reason they’ve reached this stage, and the belief that they can punch above their weight. Whether that bond is strong enough to overcome Germany remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Luka Doncic is delivering a EuroBasket performance for the ages.
