NBA star Luka Doncic in Legal Conflict With His Mom; Files Petition for Trademark Control

Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks Mirjam Poterbin Luka Doncic Legal Battle With Mom

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Sep 08, 06:52 am

Photo: (Photo : Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images)

Luka Doncic continued to fight for trademark control of his name and brand on the same day he powered Slovenia to a huge EuroBasket victory over Germany, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Documents provided by the basketball star's law firm, Brown Rudnick, revealed that Doncic filed a petition on Tuesday, September 6, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He wants to cancel the registration of a "LUKA DONCIC 7″ trademark that Mirjam Poterbin currently owns.

Public records from the USPTO showed that Doncic, then 19 years old, consented to his mother to register the trademark "LUKA DONCIC 7″ in November 2018. Poterbin officially registered the trademark in January 2020.

Doncic and mom fight over trademark control

Doncic used that particular logo early in his NBA career, according to the Dallas Morning News. The logo featured his name with the "L" as an upside-down 7 and another 7 underneath the "D" to incorporate his jersey number with the Dallas Mavericks. According to the petition, Poterbin provided assistance and guidance at the time for Doncic's off-court business opportunities.

The petition stated that in July 2021, Doncic notified his mother that he no longer consented to using and registering the trademark because he wanted to consolidate his brand without Poterbin's involvement.

Doncic debuted a new emblem in September 2021, about a month after he signed his historic $207 million rookie supermax contract extension with the Mavs. That logo configured "77″ to look like "LD" with an outline of "S" for his home country of Slovenia. The emblem has appeared on all of Doncic's Jordan Brand shoes and clothing as well as on charitable and business endeavors he has since pursued.

Doncic's company, Luka99 Inc., has applied for trademark registration twice to "LUKA DONCIC." He applied for trademark registration in June 2021 for all material items and goods and in April 2022 for his charity fundraising services.

Doncic showing no signs of distraction in Eurobasket tournament

However, the USPTO has not approved the NBA star's applications because of the existing "LUKA DONCIC 7″ trademark that Poterbin has not relinquished. Doncic has attempted private negotiations multiple times to resolve the issue, more than a year after his first formal request.

The 23-year-old has shown no signs of distraction by his NBA career's first public legal dispute while playing at the prestigious EuroBasket tournament. Doncic compiled his best summer performance on Wednesday with 47 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 38 minutes to help the Slovenian national team down France, 88-82, NBC Sports reported.

It was sweet revenge for Slovenia, which lost the team's Olympic semifinal clash last summer against France. Slovenia ended up without a medal in the Tokyo Games after losing to Australia in the battle for bronze.