The Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic continued his historic run at FIBA EuroBasket 2025 on Sunday, leading Slovenia to an 84-77 victory over Italy in the Round of 16 with 42 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals in 33 minutes. Not only did his performance steer Slovenia into the quarterfinals, where they will face reigning world champions Germany, but it also achieved a series of historic feats.
Doncic now ranks third in all-time EuroBasket scoring average among players with a minimum of 20 games, posting 23.4 points per game across 22 appearances. He overtook Drazen Petrovic, who averaged 23.2 points over 26 games. Only Greek icon Nikos Galis (31.2 points in 33 games) and Yugoslavian great Radivoj Korac (24.8 points in 34 games) have higher averages, both of whom are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
He also currently accounts for 36.89% of Slovenia’s points in the tournament, a scoring share surpassing even Michael Jordan’s peak NBA seasons, with only Wilt Chamberlain exceeding that percentage in two seasons.
The Slovenian superstar has been dominant throughout the tournament, recording one triple-double and narrowly missing a second. His 42-point output against Italy marked his second 40-point game in EuroBasket history, joining an elite group that includes Nikos Galis (6), Doron Jamchi (2), Lauri Markkanen (2), and Eddy Terrace (2).
Additionally, he became just the third player in the last 30 years to post 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in a EuroBasket game, alongside Dirk Nowitzki (43 points, 15 rebounds vs. Spain, 2001) and Pau Gasol (40 points, 11 rebounds vs. France, 2015).
Doncic set the tone from the opening tip, scoring 22 points in the first quarter alone, the most by any player in a single quarter in the 2025 edition, and finishing the first half with 30 points. In the face of Italy’s late-game push, which narrowed the lead to 78-77 with under two minutes remaining, Doncic calmly sank four crucial free throws to seal the win. He shot 11 of 19 from the field, including 5 of 11 from three-point range, and 15 of 16 from the free-throw line.
This game also extended Doncic's streak of 25+ point games to six consecutive matches, putting him in rarefied air alongside Nikos Galis, who holds the record with 19 consecutive games.
Also, Doncic joined the 500-point club in EuroBasket history, becoming the fourth Slovenian player to achieve this milestone, trailing only Goran Dragic (696 points), Ivo Daneu (515), and Jaka Lakovic (509).
It is now the eighth time Slovenia has reached the quarterfinals in the last nine editions. Doncic leads the team in scoring, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, a historic carry job that shows his status as one of Europe’s greatest basketball talents.
