Lakers Luka Doncic Reunites With Daughters Amid Custody Battle

Luka Doncic has had a rough few years off the court. He had some problems with his mother, the franchise he had led for seven seasons traded him in a move that blindsided him, and just when things seemed to be going well in Los Angeles, his relationship fell apart.

Then a serious hamstring injury sent him to Europe for treatment. He deserved something to go right.

According to Slovenian outlet Ekipa, he got exactly that. After completing the first series of stem cell therapies in Madrid, Doncic traveled to Ljubljana to spend time with his daughters Gabriela and Olivia. It was the first time he had seen them since December 2025.

That December visit ended badly. A dispute at Kranj Maternity Hospital led to police being called, and Doncic flew back to the United States alone that same day. He had not seen his daughters in months since.

The separation became public in March, when Doncic confirmed to ESPN he had ended his engagement to Anamaria Goltes.

"I love my daughters more than anything and I've been doing everything I can for them to be with me in the U.S. during the season, but that hasn't been possible, so I recently made the tough decision to end my engagement. Everything I do is for my daughters' happiness and I will always fight to be with them and give them the best life I can."
Luka Doncic

A player recovering from injury needs to be in the right headspace, and for Doncic, seeing his daughters after months apart is exactly the kind of mental reset that helps the physical recovery along too.

Luka Doncic Custody Battle Update: Where the Legal Fight Stands

On the legal side, Goltes filed a petition for child support and attorney fees in California, and Doncic has pushed back, arguing the case belongs in Slovenia, where his daughters actually live. He brought in attorney Laura Wasser to handle things on the California end.

Through all of this, Doncic kept playing at an MVP level. When a Slovenian reporter asked how he manages after dropping 51 points on the Chicago Bulls in March, he kept it short.

"That's life, I don't know what to say. Basketball is giving me some kind of peace when I play a game."
Luka Doncic

That peace clearly showed on the court. Off it, getting time in Ljubljana with his daughters was likely just as important for his recovery as anything happening in Madrid.

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