Luka Doncic is spending quality time with his children, marking a rare public glimpse into his family life amid an ongoing custody battle with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight since his team's playoff exit, shared heartfelt moments with his two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, on social media.
Doncic Shares Photos with Daughters During Offseason Break
The Lakers guard returned to Instagram this week after months of keeping a low profile. Rather than discussing basketball or his recovery from a grade 2 hamstring strain, Doncic posted personal snapshots. One image showed him holding Olivia while Gabriela played nearby; another captured Gabriela sitting on his shoulders during an outdoor walk. These posts come after a challenging year for the Slovenian star, who has faced injuries, playoff disappointment, and public scrutiny of his private life.
Reports from TMZ indicate that Goltes filed a petition in California seeking child support and attorney fees. The couple, who began dating in 2016 and got engaged in 2023, share two daughters. Gabriela was born in the United States during Doncic's final stretch with the Dallas Mavericks, while Olivia was born in Slovenia last December.
Doncic Addresses Custody Battle Publicly
Earlier this offseason, Doncic explained why he would not represent Slovenia this summer. “I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life,” he wrote in a statement. “As I continue working toward joint custody of my daughters, I have been forced to make a difficult decision between traveling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer. Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months.”
The decision came shortly after the Lakers' playoff exit against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. Doncic's hamstring injury forced him to miss the postseason entirely, ending what had been another dominant individual campaign.
Custody Battle Continues Amid Stellar Season
Even while dealing with injuries and personal challenges, Doncic remained one of the league's top performers. The 27-year-old earned All-NBA First Team honors for the sixth time in his career, placing himself in rare company alongside Nikola Jokic. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals while setting a Lakers single-season record with 254 made three-pointers.
His season also included two Western Conference Player of the Month awards and a fourth-place finish in MVP voting behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Around the league, speculation continues about whether the Lakers could eventually reunite Doncic with former Mavericks teammate Kyrie Irving, though financial questions and the uncertain future of LeBron James still hang over the franchise.
For now, though, basketball seems secondary. Doncic's latest post made that much clear. As for his custody battle with Goltes, there is no ruling yet as the high-profile case remains in court.
