Los Angeles Lakers fans who were desperately trying to get a glimpse of skinny Luka Doncic before the NBA season were able to do so during the FIBA EuroBasket. Participating in the prestigious European basketball championship with his home country, Slovenia, Doncic displayed the new fitness level that has made headlines all summer. On Wednesday, Slovenia's journey came to an end at the hands of Germany in the quarter-finals, but the Lakers superstar was still able to put on a show and make history.
In Slovenia's 99-91 loss, Doncic put up 39 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists on 11/25 shooting from the field in 33 minutes of action. Going up against fellow NBA players like Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroder, and Tristan da Silva, Doncic didn't have enough help from the limited Slovenia side to avoid defeat.
Luka Doncic Gave Lakers Fans a Glimpse of What to Expect
This meant that Doncic ended the tournament averaging 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game, solidifying himself as the tournament's most dominant player. In fact, HoopsHype posted a hard-to-believe stat on X about Doncic's performance: Doncic scored 37.73% of his team's points at EuroBasket. No player in the NBA has reached that mark since Wilt Chamberlain in 1963.
The 26-year-old scored 243 of Slovenia's 644 points in seven games, a mark no one has even come close to in the 90-year history of the tournament.
At first, this may seem like comparing apples to oranges, but it's important to note that carrying this type of scoring load is even more difficult in FIBA play than it is in the NBA. When Chamberlain did this in the league, he was playing 47.6 minutes per game. Doncic, on the other hand, averaged 33.3 minutes in 40-minute games.
Plus, Slovenia, having one of the weakest rosters in the tournament outside of Doncic, didn't do him any favors. He was consistently met with double and triple teams. Defenses are also allowed to pack the paint in Europe since there is no defensive 3-second call. With a shorter 3-point line, the spacing is much more limited in FIBA play. Rules are not as favorable to offensive players as they are in the NBA, making Doncic's production that much more impressive.
Even though Doncic failed to lead his nation to glory, he gave Lakers fans a ton of optimism heading into the season. As LeBron James ages and GM Rob Pelinka does what he can to add to the roster, the Lakers will need more of this from Doncic in the 2025-26 season.