The FIBA World Cup Quarterfinals is not an event the Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic would like to keep in his memory. After several foul calls and questioning of the referees’ officiating, Doncic was ejected in the QF game against Canada. Furthermore, Slovenia was eliminated from the tournament, after a 100-89 defeat at the hands of the Canadians. As Luka Doncic walks back home empty-handed from the World Cup, a similar clip from 2022 of the Slovenian star complaining about the refs against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves has started resurfacing on the internet. On X (Formerly Twitter), a user was one of the recent accounts to highlight Luka going against the refs and Minnesota Timberwolves.
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It’s noteworthy how Slovenia’s game was impacted by the numerous foul calls by the refs. Doncic himself received two technical fouls and was not having it. He thought the Canadians were getting an easy pass. Luka’s frustration was visible throughout the game and perhaps may have been aggravated after a double-digit loss in the quarter-finals.
Luka Doncic calling out against Team USA to the refs from December 2022 has once again re-emerged on the internet
Slovenia’s loss against Canada in the FIBA World Cup came as a huge blow to Luka Doncic and his team. The Mavs star faced off against his NBA teammate, Dwight Powell, on whom he seemed to flex with his signature step-back three-pointers. However, with the Slovenians trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, Doncic’s increase in frustration was visible from his constant complaints against the officiating.
In a similar incident from December 2022, Doncic was ejected during a match against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves during an NBA matchup. The Mavs were trailing by 16 points in the last two minutes of the third quarter. However, Doncic was not having it with the constant foul plays coming from the Timberwolves team. The refs ejected Luka Doncic and Mavs coach Jason Kidd, in what resulted in a 116-106 loss for Dallas.
This game against the Timberwolves was one of the crucial games that the Mavs needed to win last season. However, Doncic’s frustration was well visible, as he wasn’t having it to leave his team when they needed him the most.
Doncic faced flak for complaining about ref calls
From all of these instances, it seems like Luka Doncic seriously cannot stand calls against him or his team by the refs. His approach has remained the same since he started gaining his peak in his career. And from the recent quarterfinal loss, Luka’s complaining does seem to reveal that it does not help him or his team win the game.
As of recently, the Mavs star has attracted scrutiny for persistently questioning the officiating of games. His on and off-court frustration and grouchiness towards officials seem to be a problem that inadvertently affects the team chemistry. As a result, be it the Mavs or Slovenian National Team, Luka ends up losing crucial ties and games.
