Five years apart, now reunited on the international stage
Even as the NBA offseason settles into quiet, the game itself does not rest — it simply migrates, crossing oceans to find its players back in the colors of their homelands. Five men with Dallas Mavericks ties will compete in FIBA World Cup qualifying matches from June 30 through July 4, each carrying with them the dual identity of professional athlete and national representative. For Luka Doncic, the moment carries particular weight: a reunion with mentor Goran Dragic on the Slovenian national team, five years in the making, reminds us that basketball loyalties run deeper than any single franchise.
- The NBA offseason barely pauses before five Mavericks — current and recent — are called back into competition, this time wearing their countries' colors in high-stakes FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
- Luka Doncic's return to Slovenia is charged with reunion energy: Goran Dragic, his longtime mentor and close friend, rejoins the national team for the first time in five years, reigniting long-standing speculation about the pair's future together in Dallas.
- Frank Ntilikina steps into a larger role with France, Dwight Powell suits up for Canada just two years after Achilles surgery, Davis Bertans leads Latvia alongside his brother, and newly traded Boban Marjanovic gets rare extended minutes with Serbia — each story carrying its own quiet drama.
- With Nikola Jokic absent from Serbia and Kristaps Porzingis missing from Latvia, the qualifying window reshuffles hierarchies and opens unexpected doors for players who spent much of the NBA season on the margins.
- Fans can follow every European match live on Courtside 1891 with a $11.99 temporary pass covering all games through July 4 and recordings accessible through July 10 — a modest price for an immersive look at the global game.
The NBA offseason has arrived, but for five players with Dallas Mavericks connections, the rest will be short-lived. Beginning June 30, Luka Doncic and four current or former teammates will represent their home countries in FIBA World Cup qualifying matches running through the first week of July.
Doncic headlines the group, suiting up for Slovenia against Croatia on June 30 and Sweden on July 3. The window is made especially meaningful by the return of Goran Dragic — his mentor and close friend — to the Slovenian national team for the first time in five years. Slovenia enters with confidence: even without Doncic, Dragic, or Denver's Vlatko Cancar, the team swept both Croatia and Sweden in last fall's first round. Doncic will also encounter familiar playoff foes in Croatia's Bojan Bogdanovic and Ivica Zubac.
Frank Ntilikina, who carved out a key defensive role in Dallas's playoff run, will represent France against Montenegro and Hungary, stepping into the most experienced NBA player on that qualifying roster. Dwight Powell joins Canada's squad for matches against the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands — a meaningful appearance for a player who suited up for all 100 Mavericks games this season, less than two years after Achilles surgery.
Davis Bertans will lead Latvia alongside his brother Dairis, filling a void left by Kristaps Porzingis's absence. Boban Marjanovic, recently traded away from Dallas, suits up for Serbia against Latvia and Belgium — and with Nikola Jokic sitting out this window, Marjanovic should see playing time that eluded him late in the Mavericks season.
All European qualifier matches stream on Courtside 1891, FIBA's live platform, with a temporary event pass available for $11.99 — covering all games through July 4 and recordings through July 10. For Mavericks fans, it's an affordable and rewarding way to watch their players compete on the world stage.
The NBA offseason is underway, but for five players with Dallas Mavericks ties, the break will be brief. Starting this week, Luka Doncic and four teammates—current and recent—will trade the American league for their home countries, competing in FIBA World Cup qualifying matches that run through the first week of July.
Doncic leads the group, suiting up for Slovenia against Croatia on June 30 and Sweden on July 3. The timing marks his first international action since the Mavericks fell to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals. What makes this window particularly notable is the presence of Goran Dragic, the veteran point guard who has long served as Doncic's mentor and close friend. Dragic is returning to Slovenian national team play for the first time in five years alongside Doncic—a reunion that has long been the subject of speculation among Mavericks fans hoping the two might one day play together in Dallas. Slovenia's roster enters the qualifiers with momentum; without Doncic, Dragic, or Denver's Vlatko Cancar, the team already defeated both Croatia and Sweden in the first round last fall. Doncic will face familiar opponents in Croatia's lineup: he has repeatedly dominated Utah's Bojan Bogdanovic and the Clippers' Ivica Zubac in recent playoff matchups.
Frank Ntilikina will represent France in matches against Montenegro on July 1 and Hungary on July 4. The guard emerged as a key defensive presence in Dallas's playoff rotation this spring and should see expanded minutes with France, where he stands as the most experienced NBA player on the qualifying roster. Dwight Powell, meanwhile, will play for Canada against the Dominican Republic on July 1 and the Virgin Islands on July 4. Powell's participation is itself noteworthy: he appeared in all 100 Mavericks games this season, a remarkable feat less than two years removed from Achilles tendon surgery. He will be one of four NBA players on Canada's squad.
Davis Bertans will lead Latvia's effort, competing alongside his brother Dairis, a former NBA player, in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, who played for Dallas before his departure. Bertans faces Serbia on June 30 and Slovakia on July 3. Boban Marjanovic, recently traded away from the Mavericks, will suit up for Serbia against Latvia on June 30 and Belgium on July 3. With two-time MVP Nikola Jokic absent from Serbia's roster for this window, Marjanovic should see more playing time than he did in Dallas, where he had fallen out of the rotation before the Christian Wood trade.
All European qualifier games will stream on Courtside 1891, FIBA's primary live-streaming platform. Viewers can purchase a temporary event pass for $11.99, which covers all matches from June 30 through July 4 and provides access to game recordings through July 10. An annual subscription costs $41.99. For Mavericks fans eager to see their players in action during the offseason lull, the window offers an affordable window into international basketball and a chance to watch some of the league's most interesting players represent their nations.
Citas Notables
Dwight Powell played in all 100 Mavericks games this season, less than two years removed from Achilles tendon surgery— Dallas Morning News reporting
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does it matter that these Mavericks are playing in World Cup qualifiers right now? Aren't they supposed to be resting?
They are resting from the NBA, but their national teams need them. These qualifiers determine who goes to the World Cup. For players like Doncic, it's a point of pride—he's one of Slovenia's best players, and they're trying to qualify.
What's the story with Goran Dragic and Doncic playing together for the first time in five years?
Dragic has been Doncic's mentor since his early days. They're close friends. For five years they've been apart on the national team, and now they're reuniting. Mavericks fans have always wondered if they'd play together in Dallas, but this is their chance on the international stage.
Boban Marjanovic was just traded away from Dallas. Is this a fresh start for him?
In a way. He was out of the rotation in Dallas, barely playing. But Serbia's best player, Nikola Jokic, isn't available for these qualifiers, so Boban will actually get meaningful minutes. It's a chance to show what he can do.
How accessible is this for fans who want to watch?
Very. For twelve dollars, you can watch all the games for a week. That's cheaper than a movie ticket, and you get to see international basketball and some familiar faces playing for their countries.
Does Dwight Powell's participation say something about his recovery?
Everything. He played in all 100 Mavericks games this season, less than two years after major Achilles surgery. Now he's representing Canada. That's a statement about his durability and how far he's come.