Luka Dončić has already made an incredible impact on the game of basketball on the court, but the Slovenian sensation has also managed to contribute to the future of the sport through his foundation, as well. The Luka Dončić Foundation recently commissioned a study, Inside Youth Basketball, which monitors the way children are trained and play basketball in Europe compared to the United States in an effort to make everyone better.
Advertisement
When Steve Nash asked Dončić where the inspiration for this study came from, the five-time All-Star explained that it regarded the concerning increase in children pulling out of youth sports. Youth sports have become a luxury that is difficult for many children to enjoy, and Luka wants to get to the bottom of the issue.
Dončić wants to see children having as much fun playing sports as he did growing up. His main priority is to see children enjoying themselves rather than stressing about whether they are good enough or not. As a multi-sport athlete who enjoyed everything he played, Luka simply wants to pass his joy on to the next generation. The two spoke on the topic on the Mind the Game podcast.
“You know, more and more kids are pulling out of sports. Just probably didn’t have as much fun as I did when I grew up. So that’s why we have a study in America and a study in Europe,” Luka explained. “So we’re trying to combine the weaknesses and the strengths together.”
Nash also knows the dire state of youth sports, pointing out that 70% of children quit before the age of 13 due to the pressure to perform. The two-time MVP also wanted to know what made the Lakers superstar fall in love with athletics, specifically basketball.
“Well, for me, I wasn’t good at any other sports, except soccer. Not like [Nash], but you know,” Dončić said. “I was playing a lot of sports. Tennis, soccer, and basketball were the main ones. I played volleyball. So for me, it was fun just to do sports. And then I went outside. After school, I went outside every time.”
Luka would play anything, but he admitted to mostly sticking to basketball. Nash figured this was because Doncic’s father, Saša, spent time playing in Europe. “Your dad, Saša, was in Euro League, played in the Euro League. Great player,” Nash said. “He was okay,” Luka jokingly fired back.
While never the NBA superstar that his son has become, Saša Dončić was a decorated talent during his time playing in Europe. A two-time Slovenian League Champion, Saša played professionally from 1993 to 2010. He also won the Slovenian Cup three different times and was nominated to the league’s All-Star squad in six separate seasons.
Saša spent just one year in the Euro League playing for Olimpija. His career was nearing an end by this point, but Saša still managed to contribute 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in nearly 14 minutes per game for the squad in 2007-08. Following his playing career, Saša began coaching, which he continued to do from his retirement in 2010 to his most recent gig in 2022.
It’s clear Luka Dončić has a rich history of basketball and a deep love of playing sports with friends. Even as one of the NBA’s top talents with generational wealth at his side, the 26-year-old has still made it his priority to reinvigorate children’s love of youth sports.
