Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is facing the toughest opponent of his career, and it has nothing to do with basketball. The five-time NBA All-Star is embroiled in a bitter, transatlantic custody battle with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, over their two young daughters. The legal drama has escalated in recent weeks, with Dončić mounting a full-court press to challenge Goltes’ child support petition, arguing she filed it in the wrong jurisdiction entirely.
At the center of the Luka Dončić custody battle are the couple’s two daughters: Gabriela, born in November 2023, and Olivia, born in December 2025. The relationship, which began when the two met as teenagers in Slovenia, unraveled after Goltes relocated to their home country in May 2025 while pregnant with Olivia. Dončić, who was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers in February 2025 and signed a three-year, $165 million extension last summer, has been desperate to have his daughters with him in the U.S.
When those efforts failed, Dončić made what he called a “tough decision.” In a statement released in March 2026, he confirmed the engagement was over. “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,” he said.
The legal war is being fought on two continents. On March 10, 2026, Goltes filed a petition in Los Angeles County court seeking child support and attorney fees. But Dončić’s legal team, led by high-profile attorney Laura Wasser, is fighting back hard. The Lakers star has formally asked a judge to dismiss Goltes’ filing, arguing that neither he nor his children are California residents.
Dončić claims he filed his own petition in Slovenia back in February, addressing both custody and child support, before Goltes submitted her request in California. He argues that Goltes’ decision to file in the U.S. is a “clear attempt to forum shop and avail herself of the generous amounts of child support for which California is well known”.
The relationship’s breaking point came in December 2025, when Dončić traveled to Slovenia for Olivia’s birth. What should have been a joyous occasion turned into a tense standoff. According to reports, Dončić asked to bring their older daughter, Gabriela, back to California with him. Goltes refused.
The situation escalated to the point that police were called to Kranj Maternity Hospital. Officers later confirmed they “did not detect any elements of a criminal offense or misdemeanor,” and Dončić left peacefully. He flew back to the U.S. the same day and has reportedly not seen his daughters since. Reflecting on the experience, Dončić called it “a roller coaster,” adding, “I don’t even know how to describe it. It was a lot”.
The custody dispute is not Dončić’s first time in a courtroom. In 2022, he filed a petition against his own mother, Mirjam Poterbin, over control of trademarks using his name . Poterbin had registered “Luca Doncic 7” in 2018, and Dončić later argued that his mother’s ownership prevented him from registering his own trademarks. He formally revoked his consent in 2021, leading to a legal standoff over his brand and likeness.
That dispute, which Dončić eventually settled, served as an early warning about the complexities of mixing business with family.
As the Luka Dončić custody battle plays out in courtrooms across the Atlantic, Dončić continues to dominate on the court. He recently dropped a 60-point game against the Miami Heat, leading the Lakers to their eighth consecutive win . But the off-court drama has taken a toll. When asked how he balances his performances with family turmoil, Dončić was candid. “That’s life, I don’t know what to say,” he reportedly said. “But that’s my job so I have to be here… basketball is giving me some kind of peace when I play a game”.
For now, the case remains unresolved. A judge in Los Angeles will need to decide whether California has jurisdiction over a case involving a Slovenian mother, two children living in Slovenia, and an NBA star who, despite playing in Los Angeles, insists his primary ties are elsewhere.
