Doncic’s final Slovenia request turns team trip into charity stop for newborns and sick children.
Luka Doncic had one last ask before the Lakers left his hometown. Push back the flight. Make time for the kids.
The Los Angeles Lakers were set to depart Ljubljana Monday morning after a four-day minicamp Doncic organized and fully funded. Instead, the star and his business manager Lara Beth redirected the group to Ljubljana Maternity Hospital and the nearby Pediatric Clinic. Departure shifted to 15:10 local time. The players agreed without hesitation.
Lakers hanging out with kids and hospital staff infront of the children hospital 🤍
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) August 24, 2026
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They started with new mothers and newborns. Players signed autographs, took photos with staff, and visited wards. Packages of baby gear went out. From there they moved through underground corridors to the Pediatric Clinic at UKC Ljubljana. Some of the sickest children received visits in their rooms. Those well enough joined Doncic and teammates on the playground outside. They talked, posed for pictures, and shot hoops together. Gifts came along for the patients.
Clinic director Marko Pokorn called the stop a special honor. Top athletes fight for wins every day, he said. The children fight too. A visit like this can lift spirits enough to help treatment. One nurse, Saša Poljanšek, even stepped onto the court and drained a shot that drew approval from the Lakers.
Four days of bonding before the final gesture
The hospital stops capped a trip that mixed work and home. Practices ran at Stozice Arena under assistant coach Greg St. Jean. The group rode boats on the Ljubljanica, ate around the city, and toured Ljubljana Castle. In Bled they rowed on the lake and played golf. On Sunday morning Doncic took them to the outdoor court in Savsko naselje where he grew up. He helped renovate it in 2021. Local kids got the surprise of NBA stars dropping in to shoot around.
Doncic has used the offseason to set the tone. After the roster overhaul around him and Austin Reaves, he flew nearly the full group—including two-way players and Bronny James—on a chartered jet and covered the costs. The message was clear: this is his team now, and Slovenia is part of the foundation.
Why it lands
In a league full of carefully staged appearances, this one felt personal. Doncic delayed the exit, walked the wards, and made sure the kids got both gifts and time. Teammates followed. For a franchise resetting without LeBron James, the image of its new leader choosing hospital corridors over an earlier flight carries weight.
AI Disclosure: This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and was reviewed and edited by the Glowls News editorial team before publication.