Lakers' Luka Doncic separates from fiancee after thwarted efforts to bring daughters to US

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers superstar Luka Doncic says he has separated from his fiancee after his efforts to spend more time with their two young daughters were thwarted.

TMZ reported Tuesday that Anamaria Goltes filed a petition for child support and attorneys' fees in California. Doncic then issued a statement to The Associated Press saying he he had recently ended his engagement to Goltes because he was unable to have his daughters with him in Los Angeles more often.

“I love my daughters more than anything and I’ve been doing everything I can for them to be with me in the U.S. during the season, but that hasn’t been possible, so I recently made the tough decision to end my engagement,” Doncic said in his statement. “Everything I do is for my daughters’ happiness, and I will always fight to be with them and give them the best life I can.”

The 27-year-old Doncic and Goltes had been dating for a decade after meeting as teenagers in Slovenia. They became engaged in July 2023.

Their oldest daughter, Gabriela, was born in November 2023. Their second daughter, Olivia, was born in December 2025, with Doncic missing two Lakers games while he traveled to Slovenia to be with Goltes.

“I don’t even know how to describe it. It was a lot,” Doncic said at the time. “I was there for the birth of my daughter, so that means everything to me. But it was definitely a roller coaster.”

Goltes deleted all of her Instagram photos of her and Doncic together last week, fueling increased speculation around Doncic's relationship.

Doncic moved from the Dallas Mavericks to Los Angeles in a stunning trade for Anthony Davis in February 2025. He agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Lakers last summer, cementing his near future in Los Angeles.

Any tumult in Doncic's personal life hasn't appeared to affect him on the court with the Lakers. He is the NBA's leading scorer this season at 32.5 points per game, and he ranks third with 8.4 assists while grabbing 7.8 rebounds.

Doncic had 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his 89th career triple-double on Tuesday night while the surging Lakers beat Minnesota 120-106 to move into fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

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