Luka Dončić comes from a Christian family background. He was born in Slovenia to a Slovenian mother and a Serbian father, blending Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions. The NBA star is widely identified with Christianity, reflecting his family heritage.
Quick Profile: Luka Dončić
| Full Name | Luka Dončić |
| Date of Birth | February 28, 1999 (Ljubljana, Slovenia) |
| Nationality | Slovenian |
| Position | Point guard / Shooting guard |
| NBA Team | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Religion | Christian |
What religion is Luka Dončić?
Luka Dončić has not publicly announced joining any religion other than the Christian faith of his upbringing. Born in Ljubljana to Mirjam Poterbin and Saša Dončić, he inherited his parents’ Christian heritage. His mother is Slovenian (likely Roman Catholic) and his father is of Serbian descent (often Eastern Orthodox). This mixed background means he was raised with both Catholic and Orthodox customs. As a result, Dončić observes Christian traditions, for example, he has been known to celebrate Easter and other Christian holidays. In interviews he has mentioned prayer as important in his life, suggesting he maintains Christian beliefs in private, though he keeps his personal faith fairly low-key.
Early Life
Luka Dončić grew up in a basketball family. His mother Mirjam is a former model and businesswoman, and his father Saša was a professional basketball player and coach. Dončić began playing sports very young; by age seven he was practicing with older teams because of his talent. He played various sports as a child but focused on basketball, inspired by players like Vassilis Spanoulis and LeBron James. At 13 he moved to Spain to join Real Madrid’s youth academy, living with host families and pursuing education alongside his athletic training. His parents supported his career, with his mother Mirjam even managing some aspects of his career when he turned pro.
Career Highlights
Luka Dončić’s career has been marked by rapid success at every level. He debuted professionally for Real Madrid’s senior team in 2015, and in 2018 he led Madrid to the EuroLeague championship, earning the EuroLeague MVP and Final Four MVP awards that year. Entering the 2018 NBA Draft, he was picked third overall by Atlanta and immediately traded to Dallas. In his first NBA season (2018–19) he was unanimously named to the All-Rookie First Team and won Rookie of the Year.
Dončić quickly became a franchise star for the Mavericks. By 2020 he had earned his first NBA All-Star selection and All-NBA First Team honors, and he repeated those honors for five straight seasons (2020–2024). In 2024 Dončić led the NBA in scoring (33.9 points per game), becoming the first European player ever to win the scoring title. That season he also led Dallas to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. In February 2025, Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal, an event that stunned the league.
Personal Life
Off the court, Dončić maintains a mostly private personal life. He is engaged to model Anamaria Goltes and they have a daughter, Gabriela, born in late 2023. He is known to be close with his family; his parents divorced in 2008 but continue to support his career. Dončić is multilingual, he speaks Slovenian, Serbian, Spanish (from his time in Spain), and English. He enjoys gaming in his downtime and is especially skilled at shooter and strategy games; he reached the Grandmaster rank in Overwatch 2 in 2023.
Awards and Honors
Luka Dončić is one of the most decorated players of his generation. He has been selected to five NBA All-Star games (2020–2024) and five All-NBA First Teams, underscoring his elite status. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2019, the NBA scoring title in 2024, and is a multiple-time EuroLeague champion and MVP from his Real Madrid days.
Internationally, Dončić helped lead Slovenia to its first EuroBasket championship in 2017, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team. He has also earned domestic awards in Spain, including the Liga ACB MVP and multiple Young Player of the Year honors during the 2015–2018 seasons.
