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Where is Luka Doncic from and how many languages can he speak?

The new Lakers star hails from a basketball-rich region in Eastern Europe and speaks a number of languages fluently.

The new Lakers star hails from a basketball-rich region in Eastern Europe and speaks a number of languages fluently.
PATRICK T. FALLON | AFP
William Gittins
A journalist, soccer fanatic and Shrewsbury Town fan, Will’s love for the game has withstood countless playoff final losses. After graduating from the University of Liverpool he wrote for a number of British publications before joining AS USA in 2020. His work focuses on the Premier League, LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and the global game.
Update:

Despite being only 25-years of age, Luka Doncic has managed to fit a lot in in his first quarter of a century. His basketball career has taken him from his home country, to Spain, Dallas and now to Los Angeles.

Doncic is regarded as one of the greatest European players of all time and now, already a five-time NBA All-Star, he is undoubtedly one of the best of his generation. His incredible basketball IQ made him the cornerstone of the Dallas Mavericks’ offense and now he’ll be playing alongside LeBron James for the Los Angeles Lakers. Both players are poised to play in Monday’s game against Utah.

Doncic can speak four languages and was a fluent English speaker before signing for the Mavericks.

He spoke Slovenian growing up, but also learnt how to speak Serbian from his father. At the age of 13 he moved to Spain to play for Real Madrid’s basketball team, soon becoming fluent in Spanish. When he moved to Dallas in 2018 he was able to use his English skills, which he had picked up in school back in Slovenia.

Where is Doncic from?

The new Los Angeles Lakers guard is originally from Ljubljana, Slovenia. His mother is Slovenian and his father, a former basketball player and coach, is also Slovenian, but of Serbian descent. The region is a basketball hotbed of talent and Luka began playing basketball as a young child and competed regularly against older players, “I was always training and playing with older kids who had much more experience than me. Many of them were bigger and faster than me too, so I had to beat them with my brain,” he said.

Luka’s former coach Jason Kidd paid tribute to Doncic shortly after the Slovenian player’s 25th birthday. “He enjoys the game, he loves to play the game. He’s emotional, he is fiery,” Kidd explained. “He believes he can take on the world and he can beat the world. And that’s what you want for your best player. At 25, he’s incredible.”

Doncic was a key part of the Mavericks’ success and many fans and players wonder why Dallas would trade him to the Lakers. Despite his greatness on the court, concerns have arose regarding the players’ injuries and weight gain.

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