Slovenia only has a population of 2.1 million. So yes, Luka Doncic’s followers on Facebook, around 3.1 million, is more than the entire Slovenian nation.
And on Wednesday night, he felt the love.
That is why the Slovenian supernova pledged to reciprocate the love and support he has received from Filipino fans by securing a victory for them in Slovenia’s upcoming game during the classification phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
Doncic and the Slovenian team fell short against Canada, losing 100-89 in the quarterfinals, which led them to the classification round where they are scheduled to face Lithuania.
The Dallas Mavericks superstar, who received cheers from the 11,710-strong crowd every time he scored a basket or touched the ball, expressed his gratitude for the love he has received from Filipinos since arriving in the Philippines two days ago.
“That was what I was gonna say if nobody asked me,” Doncic replied when questioned about the affection he has been receiving from Filipino fans. He continued, “You know, I really appreciate the love.
“It’s been amazing, so many fans support me, so tomorrow we have another game, hopefully we can give them the win, and it’s been really, really amazing, so I really appreciate the love.”
The 24-year-old four-time NBA All-Star, who was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving a second technical foul, contributed 26 points, along with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals in the loss.
Slovenia still has two games remaining, regardless of the outcome of their match against Lithuania tomorrow.
