Luka Dončić out for Slovenia vs. Team USA as Precaution After Injury Scare
The Slovenian national team announced that Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Dončić will not play in Saturday's pre-FIBA World Cup exhibition game against the United States, as a precaution, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
Last week, Dončić banged knees with an opposing player late in the first half of an exhibition game against Greece.
While Dončić did not play in the second half, MacMahon reported there were "no concerns" about him being injured, and that the early exit was a precaution.
On Friday, Dončić finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists in a 99-79 exhibition loss to Spain, but Slovenia is holding him out on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Team USA had been preparing to face Dončić in a warm-up game and potentially in the FIBA World Cup itself by simulating going up against him in a scrimmage.
Playing for the United States Select Team, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham tried to mimic the play of Dončić, and he received rave reviews from Team USA head coach Steve Kerr, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
There were some concerns about Team USA after they lost both scrimmages against the Select Team that were open to the public, but they got back on track in an exhibition game against Puerto Rico on Monday, winning 117-74.
Facing a Slovenian team with Dončić in the lineup would have been a far bigger test since he is widely regarded as one of the top players in the world.
The 24-year-old superstar is a four-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection coming off another hugely productive season.
In 66 games, Dončić averaged a career-high 32.4 points per game to go along with 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists.
Dončić has also provided a huge boost to the Slovenian national team in recent years, as he helped them qualify for the Olympics as a sovereign nation for the first time in 2020.
At the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Dončić nearly led Slovenia to a medal despite not playing alongside any other notable stars, as they finished fourth.
Keeping Dončić fresh and healthy is key if Slovenia wants to top its previous best finish at the FIBA World Cup, which was seventh in 2014.
Both Slovenia and the United States will get their 2023 FIBA World Cup slates underway on Aug. 26 with Slovenia facing Venezuela and Team USA taking on New Zealand.
