Luka Dončić walks into EuroBasket 2025 with the spotlight burning brighter than ever. Slovenia’s roster is thin, Poland is playing in front of a wild home crowd, and every fan in Katowice wants to see who steps up when the pressure’s on. Will Dončić carry his national team, or will Poland spoil the party like they did three years ago?
How Will Luka Dončić and Slovenia Handle Poland’s Home Advantage?
EuroBasket 2025 officially tipped off on Wednesday. This tournament brings together Europe’s top national teams and NBA stars, including Dončić, Kristaps Porziņģis, Alperen Sengun, Nikola Jokić and plenty more, making for one of the toughest basketball events on the international stage.
The action is spread across countries like Cyprus, Finland, Poland, Latvia and more. Fans everywhere are watching to see which team takes control. One of the biggest draws is Slovenia vs. Poland, with Dončić grabbing headlines and the stakes as high as ever.
Dončić’s Slovenia finds itself in a rough spot for this year’s tournament. Key players are missing: Josh Nebo, Vlatko Čančar, Jaka Blažič and Zoran Dragić aren’t suiting up. That leaves Dončić carrying almost everything, backed by veterans like Klemen Prepelič, Gregor Hrovat and Alen Omić. The pressure on Dončić is enormous, and his ability to dominate the ball and create for teammates will be tested with so many absences from the rotation.
Luka Doncic in first EuroBasket exhibition game since knee injury:
28 PTS
10 AST
6 REB
28 MINpic.twitter.com/zCWOYjZwdo
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) August 19, 2025
Meanwhile, Poland has the edge of playing in front of their home crowd in Katowice at the Spodek Arena. With memories still fresh from their upset of Slovenia in the EuroBasket 2022 quarterfinals, Polish fans expect their team to go deep again. Aleksander Balcerowski and Mateusz Ponitka remain the pillars of the squad, while Jordan Loyd adds new options as the naturalized player.
The major setback for Poland is losing Jeremy Sochan, who was slated to be a leader before injury kept him out. Even so, Poland’s defense and transition game could give Slovenia more than they can handle.
Which Team Can Overcome Key Injuries for EuroBasket 2025?
- Slovenia: Missing Josh Nebo, Vlatko Čančar, Jaka Blažič and Zoran Dragić.
- Poland: Jeremy Sochan is out due to injury.
With both teams missing important pieces, the pressure lands on the supporting cast to step into bigger roles. Someone will need to provide reliable scoring behind the stars.
How Can Fans Watch Slovenia vs. Poland at EuroBasket 2025?
Tip-off Day, Time, and Date: Thursday, 28.08.2025, 8:30 p.m. CET (GMT+2
Location: Spodek Arena, Katowice, Poland
Streaming: Courtside 1891 (FIBA’s official subscription service)
- Slovenia: RTV Slovenija, Sportklub, Arena sport, EON
- Poland: TVP Sport, Sportklub, Canal+ Sport (select games)
TV Broadcasts:
- Slovenia: RTV Slovenija, Sportklub, Arena sport, EON
- Poland: TVP Sport, Sportklub, Canal+ Sport (select games)
- Germany: MagentaSport Basketball, RTL
- France: TMC
- Italy: DAZN ITALY, RAISPORT, Sky Italia
- Spain: Teledeporte
- USA: Courtside 1891 (via app/desktop)
Fans around the world can check out the action through their local broadcasters. FIBA lined up coverage in almost every country participating, making it easy to catch the games.
Can Dončić Push Slovenia Past Poland in EuroBasket 2025?
On paper, Poland looks tough to beat, especially with their home-court advantage at Spodek Arena. With Balcerowski controlling the paint and Ponitka creating offense, Poland’s not likely to fold. Slovenia, though, has Dončić, and he’s right up there as the tournament’s brightest star. His talent gives Slovenia the edge, if his teammates can make shots when Poland tries to bottle him up.
This one figures to be close, maybe with Slovenia squeezing past Poland in a tough battle. Slovenia leads the official all-time FIBA series 6–2, but Poland’s big win in 2022 is hard to forget. Group D games are in Poland, so the crowd should be intense. For Slovenia, grabbing a win is huge for momentum in a group that also brings serious competition from France, Israel, Belgium and Iceland.
