Luka Doncic on ejection from physical game vs Canada: 'I don't think it's fair'

Basketball star Luka Doncic aired his frustrations after getting disqualified from Slovenia's all-important knockout quarterfinals match against Canada on Wednesday in the 2023 FIBA World Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Emotions got the better of the Dallas Mavericks star as he was whistled for a technical foul early in the second quarter for continuous complaining. He was then ejected from the game after getting his second technical with still 6:37 to go in the fourth.

He finished with a team-high 26 points laced with four rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

The 24-year-old guard admitted emotions were high during the game, especially with him donning the national colors. But he was not a fan of the way the game was called.

"I think everybody knows what my frustration was. Playing for the national team, there's a lot of emotions, a lot of times I can't control myself. I know I complain a lot but this is, I don't think it's fair," Doncic said in the post-game press conference.

"They're playing very physical with me. It's not fair. But on the other side, I think they all played great."

Slovenia head coach Aleksander Sekulic echoed Doncic, stressing the 6-foot-7 guard had been on the receiving end of physical play from Canada all game long, which caused him to complain to the game officials more often.

"It's difficult to play a game if you get hit constantly all game long. It's difficult to control the emotions and we worked a lot on this but it's very difficult," he added.

"And he has the ball a lot in his hands and it's frustrating. You get tired from this. It's very difficult, that's why the emotions came up."

But Sekulic said this is what makes Doncic a unique player.

"I know it's not great, it doesn't look good but it's very difficult. And that's what makes Luka so special, because he's a great player and tough to guard in a legal way."

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News