Times have changed quite dramatically for Luka Doncic and the Mavericks since they missed the playoffs — and even the Play-In Tournament — in 2023.
Dallas insisted the disappointing season was just a bump in the road for a franchise trending in the right direction and stayed the course, keeping coach Jason Kidd and re-signing Kyrie Irving despite a shaky start to his time in Dallas. Their patience is being rewarded.
The Mavericks are on the doorstep of the NBA Finals, with Irving stepping up once again in the playoffs and Dallas getting major contributions from three big men who weren't even part of the organization last season in Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.
As much as they've helped Dallas get this far, the engine that powers the franchise remains Doncic. The Mavericks know they have a killer at the end of games, and the sixth-year superstar is now on the verge of playing in a series that defines the careers of NBA legends.
Here's what you need to know about one of Doncic's biggest supporters throughout the journey, his fiancee.
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Who is Luka Doncic's fiancee?
Doncic's fiancee, Anamaria Goltes, is also from his native Slovenia. The couple met while in Croatia, however, when they were only 12. That means they first met in or around 2011.
Goltes moved to Dallas to join Doncic for his NBA career while continuing to attend the University of Ljubljana online. Goltes broke into modeling in 2017, a year before Doncic was drafted by the Mavericks, and she has dabbled in fashion blogging, as well.
Doncic and Goltes have one daughter named Gabriela, and they also have three dogs: Hugo, Gia, and Viki.
Over the years, Goltes hasn't shied away from publicly showing her support for Doncic. She has been seen wearing shirts, jackets, and hoodies with Doncic's name and the No. 77 on the back. Even their dogs were pictured wearing Doncic's EuroBasket jerseys in 2022.
Considering how often she's attended her fiancee's games, Goltes figures to stay right by Doncic's side if the Mavericks do roll into the NBA Finals and have a chance to win a championship.
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Luka Doncic relationship timeline
Doncic and Goltes first met when they were about 12 and started dating in 2016 when Doncic was 17.
Adding to the whirlwind of the past year for Doncic is the progression of his relationship with Goltes. Doncic announced on July 7, 2023 that he and Goltes were engaged, posting a picture of his proposal in Slovenia on social media. July 7 has plenty of significance, as Doncic wears No. 77 for the Mavericks.
Luka Doncic is an engaged man — #77 fittingly picking 7.7 as the date to pop the question pic.twitter.com/NaMG8MM1nc
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) July 7, 2023
The couple then welcomed a daughter, Gabriela, in December. Goltes recently posted a photo of her and Gabriela watching the Mavericks face off with the Thunder in the second round of the playoffs at the American Airlines Center.
As one would expect, Doncic and Goltes live in Dallas full-time but do spend some time in Slovenia in the offseason. The offseason will have to wait a bit longer for Doncic, as he's set to play into June for the first time in his career regardless of where the Mavericks' series against the Timberwolves winds up.
Doncic described Goltes' basketball fandom and support in a December interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, revealing that his fiancee didn't initially have any interest in basketball but still showed up for him.
"When I get home, it's no basketball talk. She don't like basketball, but she goes to every game," Doncic said. "I mean, she likes it now, but she didn't like it, which is good for me."
Doncic celebrated his engagement in July and the arrival of his first child in December. Could June bring a Larry O'Brien trophy?
