Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Luka Dončić

Discover the career path of Luka Dončić, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Luka Dončić is a Slovenian professional basketball player currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. Known as 'Luka Magic,' he's celebrated as one of the best European players ever. Dončić has consistently achieved recognition, earning five NBA All-Star selections and five All-NBA First Team selections since entering the league. He also represents the Slovenian national team in international competitions. His exceptional talent and numerous accolades solidify his status as a prominent figure in the world of basketball.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

December 1967: Performance against Clippers

On February 13, 2022, Dončić scored 23 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter against the Clippers. With 96 points in the two games, Dončić had the most in a two-game span against the same opponent since Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 for Philadelphia against Seattle in December 1967.

1980: Points and rebounds since 1980

On February 27, Dončić became the first player in NBA history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists per game while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range in a calendar month in the three-point era since 1980.

1983: 35-point triple-doubles since 1983

On November 20, 2019, Dončić became the youngest player to have 35-point triple-doubles in succession since 1983.

2006: First ACB Triple-Double

Luka Doncic's triple double on May 9, 2018 was the first in the ACB since the 2006–07 season.

February 2012: Loan to Real Madrid for Minicopa Endesa

In February 2012, Luka Dončić was loaned to Spanish club Real Madrid for the Minicopa Endesa, an under-14 Spanish club competition.

September 2012: Signed with Real Madrid

In September 2012, at 13 years of age, Luka Dončić signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid and moved to Madrid.

February 2013: Minicopa Endesa Win

In February 2013, Luka Dončić led Real Madrid to a Minicopa Endesa win, averaging 24.5 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and six steals per game and winning MVP honors.

December 2014: Dončić participates in friendly tournament in Hungary

In December 2014, Luka Dončić participated in a friendly tournament in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, where he averaged 35.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

2014: Liga ACB Season

During the 2014-15 ACB season, Luka Doncic played five games, averaging 1.6 points, and 1.2 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per game.

2014: Played with Real Madrid's under-18 and reserve teams

During the 2014–15 season, Luka Dončić mainly played with Real Madrid's under-18 and reserve teams, averaging 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists with the reserve team.

January 2015: Under-18 Ciutat de L'Hospitalet Tournament Win

In January 2015, Luka Dončić won the under-18 Ciutat de L'Hospitalet Tournament and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

April 30, 2015: Professional Debut for Real Madrid

On April 30, 2015, Luka Dončić made his professional debut for Real Madrid in the Liga ACB against Unicaja.

May 2015: Under-18 Next Generation Tournament Win

In May 2015, Luka Dončić won the under-18 Next Generation Tournament and was selected MVP.

October 8, 2015: NBA Preseason Game Against the Boston Celtics

On October 8, 2015, Luka Dončić played against the Boston Celtics in an NBA preseason game, collecting four rebounds, an assist, and a block.

2015: Debut with Real Madrid's senior team

In 2015, Luka Dončić made his debut for Real Madrid's senior team at age 16, becoming the youngest player in club history.

January 7, 2016: EuroLeague Game Against CSKA Moscow

On January 7, 2016, Luka Dončić scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds against CSKA Moscow in the EuroLeague, making three consecutive three-pointers after a Real Madrid time-out.

September 22, 2016: Dončić commits to Slovenian national team

On September 22, 2016, Luka Dončić announced that he would represent the senior men's Slovenian national team for the rest of his career, after being linked with other national teams like Serbia and Spain.

September 30, 2016: 2016-17 Season Debut

On September 30, 2016, Luka Dončić made his 2016–17 season debut against Unicaja, recording six points and four assists in 19 minutes.

October 3, 2016: NBA Preseason Win over Oklahoma City Thunder

On October 3, 2016, Luka Dončić collected three points, five rebounds, and four assists in an NBA preseason win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

December 8, 2016: EuroLeague Victory over Žalgiris Kaunas

On December 8, 2016, Luka Dončić scored a team-high 17 points in a EuroLeague victory over Žalgiris Kaunas.

2016: Senior Debut for Slovenia

In 2016, Luka Dončić made his senior debut for Slovenia at only 17 years of age.

January 14, 2017: EuroLeague MVP of the Round

On January 14, 2017, Luka Dončić earned MVP of the Round in the EuroLeague after posting 10 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists to help beat Maccabi Tel Aviv.

October 1, 2017: 2017-18 Season Debut

On October 1, 2017, Luka Dončić recorded eight points, six rebounds, and four assists in a 94–88 victory over MoraBanc Andorra in his season debut.

2017: EuroBasket Title with Slovenia

In 2017, Luka Dončić helped Slovenia win its first EuroBasket title and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

2017: Dončić signs with Nike

In 2017, while playing for Real Madrid, Luka Dončić signed a two-year deal with Nike.

February 9, 2018: Led Team with 27 Points Against Olympiacos

On February 9, 2018, Luka Dončić led his team with 27 points in a losing effort to Olympiacos, 80–79.

March 30, 2018: Game-Winning Three-Pointer Against Crvena Zvezda Belgrade

On March 30, 2018, Luka Dončić scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and made a game-winning three-pointer to beat Crvena zvezda Belgrade, 82–79.

June 21, 2018: Dončić Drafted and Traded

On June 21, 2018, Luka Dončić was selected as the third overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018 NBA draft, then traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Trae Young and a future first-round pick.

June 29, 2018: Parted Ways with Real Madrid

On June 29, 2018, Luka Dončić officially parted ways with Real Madrid.

July 9, 2018: Dončić Signs Rookie Contract

On July 9, 2018, Luka Dončić officially signed his rookie contract with the Dallas Mavericks, marking a significant step in his NBA career.

October 17, 2018: NBA Regular-Season Debut

On October 17, 2018, Luka Dončić made his NBA regular-season debut, recording 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

2018: Drafted into NBA

In 2018, Luka Dončić declared for the NBA draft, where he was drafted third overall by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

2018: EuroLeague Title, MVP, and ACB MVP

In 2018, Luka Dončić led Real Madrid to the EuroLeague title, winning both the EuroLeague MVP and the Final Four MVP awards. He was also named the ACB Most Valuable Player and won back-to-back EuroLeague Rising Star and ACB Best Young Player awards.

October 25, 2019: First Triple-Double of the Season

On October 25, 2019, Luka Dončić recorded his first triple-double of the season with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans.

December 2019: Dončić signs with Air Jordan

In December 2019, Luka Dončić signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Air Jordan, which included his own signature shoe, the Jordan Luka 1.

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2019: All-Star Game Selection

During the 2019–20 season, Luka Dončić was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game as a Western Conference starter.

2019: Future First-Round Pick

In 2019, a protected future first-round pick was part of the trade agreement that sent Luka Dončić to the Dallas Mavericks. Before the 2018–19 season, ESPN considered Dončić the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

January 4, 2020: Tenth Triple-Double of the Season

On January 4, 2020, Luka Dončić recorded his tenth triple-double of the season, posting 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

July 31, 2020: 15th Triple-Double of the Season

On July 31, 2020, Luka Dončić recorded his 15th triple-double of the season, posting 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a loss to the Houston Rockets.

February 6, 2021: Matches Career High in Points

On February 6, 2021, Luka Dončić matched his then-career-high with 42 points, along with 11 assists and seven rebounds, in a win against the Golden State Warriors.

July 14, 2021: Dončić on NBA 2K22 cover

On July 14, 2021, Luka Dončić was announced as the cover athlete for NBA 2K22, the 23rd installment in the NBA 2K video game series.

July 26, 2021: Dončić scores 48 points in Olympic debut

On July 26, 2021, in his Olympic debut, Luka Dončić scored 48 points in a 118–100 victory over Argentina, tying for the second-highest men's point total in a single game in Summer Olympics history.

August 10, 2021: Signs Rookie Extension

On August 10, 2021, Luka Dončić signed a five-year, $207 million rookie extension, which was the largest in NBA history at the time.

October 22, 2022: Dončić records 32 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists in victory over Grizzlies

On October 22, 2022, Luka Dončić scored 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 137–96 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. He became the fourth player since the merger to reach 7,000 career points in less than 270 games.

October 25, 2023: Dončić records triple-double against Spurs

On October 25, 2023, Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double with 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 126–119 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, becoming the first player in Mavericks history to achieve a 30-point triple-double in a season-opening game.

2023: Dončić joins the 200-point club at the FIBA Basketball World Cup

During the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Luka Dončić became one of only 11 players to score over 200 points in a single World Cup campaign, leading all scorers with 27.0 points per game. Slovenia finished seventh, and Dončić was named to the World Cup All-Tournament Team.

2023: NBA Scoring Leader

During the 2023–24 season, Luka Dončić led the NBA in scoring, becoming the first European to lead the NBA in scoring and second international player to achieve the feat, also leading the Mavericks to their third NBA Finals appearance.

2023: Dončić inks 6 year deal with Jordan

In 2023 Luka Dončić inked a 6 year deal with Jordan solidifying the continuation of his Jordan Luka line.

May 15, 2024: Dončić delivers triple-double in Game 5 against Thunder

On May 15, 2024, Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 104–92 Game 5 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals, marking his sixth career playoff triple-double.

December 7, 2024: Dončić records triple-double, surpasses Chamberlain and Harden

On December 7, 2024, Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 125–118 win over the Toronto Raptors, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden for seventh on the all-time career triple-double list.

2024: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers

In the middle of the 2024–25 season, Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a controversial blockbuster trade.

February 2, 2025: Dončić traded to Los Angeles Lakers

On February 2, 2025, Luka Dončić, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Max Christie, Anthony Davis, and a 2029 first-round pick. The trade was considered a significant and unexpected event in NBA history.