Mavs' Luka Dončić Launches Foundation to Support Youth Basketball

Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Dončić announced Thursday that he is launching his own foundation to support youth sports around the world.

He explained his motivations for launching the foundation in an article he wrote for USA Today:

"Basketball—played inside or outside, in any country or city—is where I have always found joy. I have learned that, in English, you might describe this as my 'sanctuary' or my 'escape.' The way I like to say it is that basketball is my 'peace place.' And now, as a new father, I think a lot about my daughter and young people around the world and the opportunities they have. Do they have the same access to basketball—to joy—that I had?"

"I am worried that they don't."

"That's why I am proud to launch the Luka Dončić Foundation. That's why we won't stop working to create a positive youth sports culture all over the world. We will keep starting new programs, supporting coaches and players, educating parents, building courts and bringing in fresh ideas to make the game more fun and accessible for everyone."

Dončić announced that the first project will be an "Inside Youth Basketball" report, an analysis from "players, coaches and parents" about what youth basketball in the United States and Europe is doing well and not handling as well.

That report discovered that the pressure put on kids was causing them to drop out of youth basketball at high rates, and led to the launching of the "Total Hoops Approach" in an effort to "create more fulfilling, positive programs for kids, under the guidance of a Youth Sports Leadership Council that includes many of my personal mentors, heroes and peers."

That council includes Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Sabrina Ionescu, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Pau Gasol, Igor Kokoškov and Bill Duffy.