In one of the most anticipated tune-up games in preparation for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Luka Doncic-led Slovenia squad flew to Las Vegas to compete against a loaded Team USA squad. However, Doncic ended up missing that contest due to precautionary reasons after the Dallas Mavericks star suffered a bit of a knock in their previous tune-up game against Spain.
There's no blaming the Slovenian brass in their decision to err on the side of caution given how close the actual tournament is to tipping off. In fact, that was a smart decision because, as Doncic revealed per Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated, the injury the Mavs star is dealing with now is the same injury that caused him problems back in March. Nevertheless, Doncic assuaged everyone's concerns by saying that he is in okay physical condition and that he's not any worse off from where he was around five months ago.
“It is an old injury, which caused me problems in March in the NBA. Therefore, we performed an MRI. Everything is okay. Nothing worse,” Doncic said.
Mavs fans will not be keen to look back on what happened in March this year, so it'll be best for everyone involved to move forward and assess how Luka Doncic's injury could affect him in the future. There's a slight concern that this could become a recurring issue that hampers the Mavs star's FIBA World Cup stint and his upcoming season for the Mavs. But if Doncic's words are anything to go by, there shouldn't be too much cause for worry in that respect.
Doncic's health will be of utmost importance as Slovenia tries to build off a fourth-placed finish during the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He remains the team's undisputed player, and without him, it might be a rough task for Slovenia to end the 2023 FIBA World Cup with a podium finish.
Luka Doncic and company will have one more exhibition game to prepare for the upcoming tournament, a clash against Japan on August 19. Slovenia's 2023 FIBA World Cup journey will begin on August 26, when they begin the group stage proceedings with a contest against Venezuela.