Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić made EuroBasket history on Thursday, but his heroics were not enough to prevent Slovenia from falling 105-95 to host nation Poland.

Dončić became the first player in EuroBasket history to record 30 or more points, five or more assists, and five or more steals in a single game, according to BasketNews. He led all scorers with 34 points, adding nine assists, five steals, four rebounds, and two blocks over 36 minutes.

The Slovenian star was dominant offensively, making seven of 14 field-goal attempts while going 17-for-18 from the free-throw line. His 17 made free throws were the most by any player in a EuroBasket game since Juan Carlos Navarro hit 18 against Croatia 20 years ago.

Luka’s Frustration

Despite Dončić’s historic outing, Slovenia struggled to find scoring support. Forwards Edo Muric and Gregor Hrovat contributed 17 and 15 points, respectively, but the team could not close the gap as Poland built and maintained a lead for nearly the entire contest.

Dončić remains the lone NBA player on the Slovenian roster, which was missing several key contributors, including Josh Nebo, Vlatko Čančar, Jaka Blažič, and Zoran Dragić.

Frustrations boiled over with 7:33 remaining when Dončić exchanged heated words with Poland’s center Dominik Olejniczak after a floor tussle.

“Nothing happened, nothing happened. It’s just basketball, you know,” Olejniczak told BasketNews. “First game of the tournament, it’s just emotions. Nothing happened really. There’s nothing to talk about.”

Poland was led by American-born naturalized player Jordan Loyd, who scored 32 points on 7-of-8 three-point shooting. Forward Mateusz Ponitka added 23 points and seven rebounds, while point guard Andrzej Pluta finished with 15 points, three assists, and two steals. Center Aleksander Balcerowski chipped in 11 points, six rebounds, and a block.

Lakers Show Support for Dončić

Dončić’s performance came in front of a Los Angeles Lakers contingent led by team governor Jeanie Buss and team president Rob Pelinka.

“We just wanted to make a statement to Luka that we support what he does for his country,” Pelinka told The Athletic’s Dan Woike before the game. “That’s really important to the Lakers when we have a player that’s the face of our franchise, just to show that support for him. And it’s just great to see him with his teammates, interacting, having fun.”

Pelinka added in a separate interview that Dončić’s passion for the Slovenian jersey underscores his leadership qualities.

“Jeanie and I talked to Luka and he realizes that he is the leader of this team,” Pelinka told reporters, per Slovenia’s Ekipa newspaper. “He quickly lets you know how much pride he feels in the national team jersey. We are aware that he is the first star of this national team; we believe in that too. As long as he feels the passion for the basketball he plays, it can only be good.”

Daunting Challenge Ahead

Slovenia now faces an uphill climb in the tournament, with its next opponent being one of the favorites, France, on Saturday. Dončić remains committed to representing his country despite the challenges.

“It’s an easy choice,” he told Woike before the Poland game. “I always want to represent my country. Always did. No matter what.”

And the Lakers have no problem with their franchise star pushing himself hard in this tournament ahead of fall’s NBA training camp.

“Zero problems,” Pelinka told Woike. “I mean, it’s just something that we believe in for the Lakers organization.”

Though Slovenia fell short, Dončić’s historic outing highlighted his elite talent and unwavering dedication. The team will need more contributions from its supporting cast if it hopes to recover and make a deeper run in the tournament.