Back in 2023, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić embraced fatherhood for the first time. The then-Dallas Mavericks star welcomed baby Gabriela with his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, on November 30 that year. And in his first game after that, Dončić did something heartwarming.
To celebrate the birth, Dončić wore the Jordan Luka 2 in a pink and tan player-exclusive colorway with Gabriela’s name handwritten on the heels of the hoop shoes. Come 2025, the Slovenian guard became a father again, and the proud dad didn’t take much time to keep the newborn close to his heart with an adorable gesture.
Luka Dončić Pulls Off an Adorable ‘Proud Dad’ Moment
Dončić missed the Lakers’ last two road games against the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics for a very special reason. He flew to his homeland to be by his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes’, side for the birth of their second child. On Saturday, December 6, Dončić announced the birth of baby Olivia with an Instagram post.
As he returned for the Lakers’ road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Dončić was seen wearing a pair of sneakers bearing the initials of the names of both his daughters.
“”GO ❤️” Gabriela + Olivia..Luka Dončić is representing both of his daughters in his first game as a two-time girl dad,” the X handle Luka Donkicks posted, showcasing the adorable picture.
Although Dončić has largely kept his personal life away from the limelight, the move signifies his deep love for his family. Just a few days back, he had offered a rare glimpse into it. A reporter asked Dončić about writing Gabriela’s name on his shoes and where the idea came from. He replied that she was the best gift in the world, and he always wanted to have her with him.
Interestingly, the Jordan Brand, with whom Dončić has his signature sneaker line, has also chimed in to celebrate the superstar’s bond with his daughter. Earlier this year, the Brand launched the Luka 4 and the Luka .77 sneakers. And on October 13, both models dropped in the “Hčerka” colorway, the Slovenian word for daughter.
To make it even more meaningful, Dončić wore the pair during the Lakers’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 30, which was Gabriela’s second birthday. He dropped 34 points in the game. Coming back to the hardwood, as Dončić took the court on Sunday, December 7, against the 76ers, he seemed to pick it up from right where he left off.
Dončić Back to Business With a Dominant Performance
The fans might recall what happened when Dončić returned in the aftermath of Gabriela’s birth in 2023. In his first game back on December 2, 2023, he lit up the arena with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 18 assists for a triple-double against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He then went on a dominant scoring spree throughout December. Dončić recorded three more triple-doubles that month and never scored less than 28 points in a game until 2024 arrived. Looks like that spell is set to repeat, as in his first game after the birth of Olivia, Dončić dropped a triple-double against the 76ers. In 39 minutes of action, he posted 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists.
It might seem even more astonishing if we consider the fact that he flew for over 26 hours round-trip in a few days to Slovenia. “It was a lot,” Dončić admitted. “But I’m just happy to be there when she was born. It was a hard thing to leave, but I was there for the child’s birth, and I was very happy.”
His happiness worked well for the Lakers as they notched a 112-108 win over the 76ers to improve to 17-6 in the season. It will be interesting to see if fatherhood once again propels Dončić to the domination he unleashed two seasons back.