Dave McMenamin
Multiple Authors
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić has separated from his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, he instructed ESPN. Sources near the scenario additionally mentioned Dončić is in a custody battle over their two daughters.
“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,” Dončić mentioned in a press release offered to ESPN on Tuesday. “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.”
Earlier Tuesday, TMZ reported that Goltes filed a petition looking for little one help and lawyer charges from Dončić. Sources conversant in Dončić’s scenario instructed ESPN that the petition was filed in California — the place considered one of Dončić’s daughters was with him for solely three months final spring, and his different daughter has by no means been to the state. Dončić had “no idea” Goltes had filed the petition.
Sources conversant in Dončić’s scenario added that Dončić, who signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Lakers in August, has at all times offered for his household and pays for his daughters’ bills “without limitation.”
Dončić, 27, proposed to Goltes, a style and health mannequin, in July 2023 after the 2 had identified one another since their youth and began courting in 2016.
They welcomed their first daughter, Gabriela, in November 2023 in the United States whereas Dončić was a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Months after he was traded to the Lakers, their second little one, Olivia, was born in December in Slovenia.
Dončić was away from the Lakers earlier this season whereas touring to Slovenia to be current for the delivery of Olivia, lacking video games in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 4 and Boston Celtics on Dec. 5.
During Dončić’s go to, he expressed a want to carry again Gabriela to the United States with him when he was returning to hitch the crew in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Dec. 7. A disagreement together with his then-fiancée ensued and Goltes, 27, referred to as the police after Dončić peacefully left the hospital, sources conversant in the scenario instructed ESPN.
Officers reported to the scene at Kranj Maternity Hospital on Dec. 6 to interview Goltes. They additionally interviewed Dončić at his residence. According to the police report, reviewed by ESPN, officers “did not detect any elements of a criminal offense or misdemeanor” perpetrated by Dončić.
Dončić flew again to the States later that day, sources conversant in the scenario instructed ESPN.
He has not seen his daughters or Goltes since.
When requested in regards to the journey to Slovenia after the Sixers sport, Dončić mentioned: “I don’t even know how to describe it. It was a lot. 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 photographs of her and Dončić from her Instagram account final week, fueling on-line hypothesis in regards to the standing of the couple.
An interim injunction was filed by Dončić on Feb. 26 with the Slovenian courts, looking for quick contact with Gabriela and Olivia, sources conversant in the scenario instructed ESPN. Since flying to L.A. for Lakers coaching camp on Sept. 26, Dončić has seen his daughters for solely two days.
In Dončić’s first full season with the Lakers, the 6-foot-8 guard has averaged a league-leading 32.5 factors together with 8.4 assists and seven.8 rebounds. L.A. (39-25) hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves (40-24) on Tuesday evening.
