At EuroBasket 2025, Slovenia captain Luka Doncic appears to be the only player to have a personal bodyguard.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is shining at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, even though Slovenia has started the tournament 1–2.
Slovenia / Schedule
We're accustomed to seeing Doncic score 30+ points in international play, but this year, an unusual detail is catching attention in Katowice, Poland: Luka appears to be the only player at EuroBasket 2025 with a personal bodyguard.
The muscular guard shadows him everywhere—walking alongside Doncic from the tunnel to the locker room on game days, standing next to him during mixed-zone interviews, and even keeping watch during open practice sessions or pre-game shootarounds.
For casual viewers, he's probably unnoticeable, but with media access, his constant presence becomes easier to notice.
First game vs. Poland (halftime):
Credit FIBA/Screenshot
Second game vs. France (halftime):
Credit FIBA/Screenshot
Third game vs. Belgium (halftime):
Credit FIBA/Screenshot
He's also present at the team hotel and its surroundings, staying close whenever fans approach Luka for photos or autographs.
In this video, the bodyguard is seen on the right:
When asked about this security matter, Doncic's camp declined to comment.
Usually, players rely on team or arena security staff to manage fan interactions and crowd control, rather than having a personal bodyguard.
Despite the extra layer of security, Luka hasn't distanced himself from fans. Quite the opposite—he continues to take time for autographs, selfies, and high-fives, always showing warmth and appreciation.
Credit ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix
The excitement around him goes beyond EuroBasket games.
For example, during a friendly in Lithuania, where Luka sat out to rest, fans crowded just behind Slovenia's bench, waiting for a chance to catch his attention.
At one point, he even signed autographs mid-game while standing on the sideline.
Credit BasketNews
Doncic has also been generous with the media.
Unlike fellow NBA MVPs Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who haven't spoken to reporters yet, Luka has already done so twice—at the EuroBasket opening press conference and again after Slovenia's loss to France.
Most of his comments have been in Slovenian, but he's at least made himself available.
Credit BasketNews
Overall, Luka Doncic is one of the most popular players in the world.
According to the NBA, last season he became the first international player to top the league's most popular jerseys list, and the first player other than Stephen Curry or LeBron James to do so since the 2012–13 season.
This offseason, the 26-year-old guard signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the Lakers.
And while his personal bodyguard keeps him well-protected off the court, Luka is still proving impossible to guard on it: he has averaged 33.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, and 3.3 steals over three EuroBasket 2025 games.
Additionally, Doncic has just become the fifth player in EuroBasket history to record a triple-double, joining Stojko Vrankovic (1993), Toni Kukoc (1995), Rares Mandache (2017), and Mateusz Ponitka (2022).
Opening EuroBasket conference with Luka Doncic:
Pijus Sapetka
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