Luka Dončić has flown to Spain for advanced regenerative treatment after an MRI in Dallas confirmed a Grade 2 strain of his hamstring, the Los Angeles Lakers star and team officials have disclosed. The diagnosis carries an expected recovery window of four to six weeks, but Dončić’s decision to pursue care overseas signals an attempt to accelerate that timetable ahead of the NBA playoffs.
Dončić suffered the injury last Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, repeatedly tugging at the hamstring before exiting midway through the third quarter. The Lakers’ importance of his presence was underscored by his March surge — 600 points and a 15‑2 record with Dončić on the floor — and by the team’s 134‑128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Easter Sunday without him. Compounding the setback, guard Austin Reaves is also sidelined for a similar four‑to‑six‑week stretch, leaving coach J.J. Redick blunt about the stakes: the club’s immediate objective is to “extend the season so both those guys can get back.”
ESPN reported that Dončić traveled to Spain to receive an “injection procedure” aimed at accelerating tissue repair. The treatment reportedly involves regenerative therapies — platelet‑rich plasma (PRP), stem cells and possibly exosome-based approaches — that are regulated differently in Europe than in the United States. Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, players and teams may seek treatment abroad provided no banned substances are used, and several high‑profile NBA figures have previously pursued care overseas when U.S. options were limited.
Dr. Evan Jeffries, a certified physical therapist and co‑host of The Hoops Rehab Show, told The California Post that the injection Dončić is undergoing “likely is some combination of stem cells, platelet‑rich plasma, or more advanced regenerative techniques” and that practitioners in Spain may manipulate those materials differently than U.S. clinicians. Jeffries added that, in theory, such an approach “could cut his timeline in half.” He also listed adjunct therapies Dončić is expected to receive — high‑power laser therapy, red‑light therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF), SoftWave therapy, hyperbaric oxygen and cupping — many of which are available domestically and would be used alongside injection treatments.
Seeking treatment abroad is not new in the NBA. Kobe Bryant traveled to Germany in 2011 for PRP injections and later for Achilles care, and LeBron James consulted an overseas specialist in 2023 for a foot issue that ultimately did not require surgery. What is different in Dončić’s case is the timing and centrality of the player: he is the Lakers’ primary offensive engine and not an end‑of‑career veteran seeking to prolong his playing days.
Hamstring injuries can be unpredictable and prone to re‑injury; this marks the fifth hamstring issue of Dončić’s career. Medical experts caution that while aggressive regenerative approaches can speed recovery for some soft‑tissue problems, incomplete healing raises the risk of compensatory injuries, including knee problems such as ACL strains if the hamstring fails to protect the joint.
If Dončić’s treatment in Spain shortens his recovery, the Lakers’ postseason outlook brightens considerably. If not, Los Angeles could face a first‑round series without its centerpiece. For now, the team’s plan is to keep the roster competitive long enough for Dončić and Reaves to return, while the player pursues every available avenue to be fit when the playoffs begin.