Luka Doncic drops heartfelt reaction on retirement of ex-Real Madrid teammate who the Rockets once tried to land for $2.5M

Luka Doncic‘s former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Llull announced his retirement from the Spanish national team on Tuesday. In his long farewell announcement on Instagram, Llull said that the decision was very tough, but he wanted to focus more on playing for his club and spend more time with his family.

Llull also thanked his teammates and his family for their support throughout his long career.

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The Spanish basketball star received love from all over the basketball world, including his former Real teammate Luka Doncic. Doncic reacted to the post with a heart emoji in the comment section.

In his long career, Sergio Llull won two medals at the Olympic Games, representing the Spanish national team. He also won a World Cup gold medal in 2019.

Llull was once one of the most sought-after European players in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets drafted him 34th overall in the 2009 NBA draft. The draft rights were later transferred to the Houston Rockets for $2.5 million. However, despite the Rockets constantly showing interest in bringing him to the NBA, Llull didn't want to leave Europe.

In 2018, a rookie Luka Doncic was asked if he would convince Llull to join the NBA.

"It's his choice," Doncic had replied. "He has the level for it, for sure. I think he’s the best player outside of the NBA, he has the level to be."

Finally, after 11 years of waiting, the Rockets transferred Llull's draft rights to the New York Knicks.

Luka Doncic shows a transformed physique in offseason snaps

This was perhaps the worst season of Luka Doncic's career. Once untouchable in Dallas, Doncic was traded to the Lakers. Things got worse for the Slovenian star when the media slammed him for being out of shape after the Lakers' first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, it seems like Doncic has been putting early work in the gym during the offseason. On Sunday, March 25, Real Madrid Basket posted a picture of their former star on their X handle. Doncic was wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of sky-blue pants in the picture. It looked like the Lakers star had lost some weight since the playoff exit.

According to a Slovenian news outlet, Doncic was back in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and had already started working on his conditioning for the upcoming season. The report suggested that the Lakers star was focused both on "indoor conditioning" and a "modified diet" to prepare for next season. He will also represent his country at EuroBasket this summer.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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