The FIBA EuroBasket Tournament is getting ready to get underway, as friendly competitions have started tipping off. Slovenia has had a couple of matches against Germany already. The Group phase doesn't start until the end of the month, but one teammate of Luka Doncic is seemingly happy that they don't have Dallas Mavericks' coach Jason Kidd.
"Aleksander Sekulic is by far the best choice for the Slovenian national team," Klemen Prepelic said to Sportklub. "He knows the guys, he knows the system, he knows what we need. He has shown that he belongs to the elite level. But I also have a very clear answer to all the criticisms. Jason Kidd is a bigger name, but he couldn’t control Doncic’s 'madness.'"
; Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic
Aug 2, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic (77) is interviewed Spectrum SportsNet following a press conference announcing the signing of his contract extension at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Aleksander Sekulic is the head coach of the Slovenian national team and has been since 2020. He's been in and around coaching for more than 20 years despite being 47 years old. As a coach, he's won a Czech Republic League championship in 2022, and a Slovenia League championship and won the Supercup in 2012.
The Jason Kidd mention seemed to come out of nowhere, as if there was any Mavericks coach who was going to be involved with the Slovenian national team, it was supposed to be Sean Sweeney. He was a part of the Olympics staff last year with Slovenia, but Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, and Sean Sweeney left to become the lead assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.
There was also talk about Daniel Gafford joining the Slovenian national team in some capacity, but that has yet to happen. Despite the trade, he and Doncic remain close, and they could be seen saying to each other in April's game that they'd play together again one day. Gafford just signed a new contract extension, but it's a tradeable number.
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (left) and head coach Jason Kidd
Oct 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (left) and head coach Jason Kidd talk during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Mavericks don't have a European player on the roster, so there are no Mavs players competing in the FIBA EuroBasket competitions this offseason. That means Mavs fans may have to vicariously live through Doncic again.
Doncic didn't play in the second friendly game against Germany on Sunday, but in the first matchup on Friday, he had 19 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes. Germany, led by Franz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, and Tristan da Silva, were able to take home the win 103-89.
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