By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Donnie Nelson was hired by the Basketball Federation of Slovenia as a special advisor, and Greg St. Jean was added to the coaching staff of the senior national team of the country.
The reinforcements for superstar Luka Doncic, his teammates and coaches, were announced by KZS during a press conference in Ljubljana on Friday.
Nelson, 62, will reunite with Doncic after drafting him in 2018 and working with him as the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks until his departure in 2021.
“Becoming a part of Slovenian basketball is a great honor for me. I look forward to working with Matej Erjavec, Sasa Doncic and everyone at the Basketball Federation of Slovenia,” said the former assistant coach of the senior national team of Lithuania, chief advisor of the senior national team of China, and Team USA assistant under Don Nelson in the FIBA World Championship 1994, beyond a 24-year tenure with the Mavericks as coach and executive.
“Watching Luka lead the team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, I became excited about the potential,” continued Nelson, “I can’t wait to see what the Slovenian national team can achieve in the future. I sincerely hope to be in Los Angeles in 2028. I look forward to being a part of its journey.”
As for St. Jean, the San Francisco native will return to the Slovenian national team after providing his assistance in preparations for the EuroBasket 2022. He also worked with Doncic as an assistant coach of the Mavs between 2021 and 2023 and as an assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers at the bottom end of the 2024-25 journey.
In Group D of the EuroBasket’s preliminary round, Slovenia will take on Poland, France, Belgium, Iceland, and Israel in Katowice, between August 28 and September 4. The top four seeds of all four groups will advance to the knockout stage, to be played in Riga from September 6 to 14.