Luka Doncic did not waste any time becoming one of the brightest stars in the NBA. The No. 3 pick from the 2018 draft ascended rapidly to the top ranks, with five All-Star selections already in his career.

The Mavericks guard is one of a number of European players starring in the league. In addition to Doncic, other European natives in the NBA’s upper echelon include Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

As Doncic’s profile reaches new heights, his relationship with his family is receiving a share of the spotlight as well. His mother in particular played a guiding role in his basketball career.

Here is everything to know about Doncic, his relationship with his mother Mirjan Poterbin and his family background.

Who is Luka Doncic’s mom?

Mirjam Poterbin gave birth to Doncic on February 28, 1999, in Slovenia.

When his basketball career began to blossom, she stepped in as her son’s manager. After he signed a five-year deal Real Madrid at the age of 13, she took charge of his business decisions and affairs, allowing him to focus on his game.

His mother spent years as the owner of a beauty salon in Slovenia, which helped her gain experience to transition to sports management.

Before her foray into sports management with her son, she worked as a model and as host of the Slovenian version of “Wheel of Fortune,” and she later opened a beauty salon.

“I was lucky to have my own salon, that I could order clients only while Luka was in kindergarten or at school, but otherwise we spent all the time together,” Poterbin said in 2020.

As Doncic started his NBA career with the Mavericks in 2018, Poterbin moved to the United States to be closer to him. She attends many of his games — and posts about them frequently on her Instagram account, which went viral early in Dallas’ 2024 playoff run.

She no longer serves as his manager, and indeed she and her son found themselves on opposite sides of a trademark dispute in 2022. Doncic filed a petition to cancel the “Luka Doncic 7” trademark, filed by Poterbin during his rookie season, in September 2022, but the pair settled the dispute in December of the same year.

Who is Luka Doncic’s dad?

Doncic’s father Sasa Doncic is a former professional basketball player.

The elder Doncic, whose career spanned from 1993 to 2010, played mainly for clubs in Slovenia but also had stops in Serbia and France. In 2010, he switched from the court to the sidelines, getting into coaching after his time as a player was finished.

While Sasa and Mirjam divorced in 2008, both supported their son in his own basketball career. And Sasa now has a front row seat to Luka’s exploits on the international stage.

In January 2024, Sasa Doncic was named director of sport for the Slovenian basketball federation (KZS). Luka has been a member of the national team since 2016.

“Whenever I can see my child play live, it’s special,” Doncic’s dad told D Magazine in 2023. “But it’s even more special to see him play in the city where he was born and when you see the whole arena cheering, paying tribute. It’s a special kind of acknowledgment and honor.”

MORE: How many rings does Luka Doncic have?

Where is Luka Doncic from?

Doncic, 25, was born and raised in Ljubljana, Slovenia, until he moved to Spain to play for Real Madrid at the age of 13 years old.

“I was a little scared in the beginning because first I said, ‘Maybe Luka, you can think about it,’ but he looked me in my eyes and said, ‘Mum, I want to try,’'” Mirjam said in an interview with People. “So that was the moment I knew I had to let him go.”

The Mavericks guard comes from a basketball family. Not only did his father played professional basketball in their home country, but his uncle, Rasho Nesterovic, also played professional hoops. Nesterovic spent 12 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with the Spurs in 2005.