Luka Doncic reacts to midnight missile alarm in Okinawa before FIBA World Cup / News - Basketnews.com

Luka Doncic opened up about a sleepless night after North Korea's missile launch: "The alarm was something crazy. I was a little bit scared."

Credit: Reuters, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix Credit Reuters, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix

Just a day before the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is set to kick off, an unsettling incident sent shockwaves through the event. Teams based in Okinawa, Japan, woke up to a 4 a.m. emergency evacuation alert triggered by a missile launch from North Korea.

Slovenia / Schedule

Slovenia VenezuelaSat11:30 Georgia SloveniaMon11:30 Slovenia Cabo VerdeWed11:30

This launch immediately prompted residents of Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture, to seek cover. Approximately 20 minutes later, the Japanese government informed everyone that the missile had cleared the area, thereby lifting the emergency warning

Among the teams affected was Slovenia, boasting the presence of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic. When asked to share his impressions of Okinawa so far, Doncic took the chance to address the alarming incident.

"Everything is great, except that I didn't sleep much last night because of the alarm," he said in an official press conference. "The alarm was something crazy. I just saw the missile was coming, so I was a little bit scared."

Slovenia's Group F also features Venezuela, Georgia, and Cape Verde.

Interestingly, Doncic will encounter a familiar face within this group. Walter Tavares, Cape Verde's star center, was once his teammate at Real Madrid.

"Amazing guy. He is one of those guys that is an amazing person and a player," Doncic said of Tavares. "I think he has improved so much. I think he is the most impactful player in the EuroLeague.

"It's going to be hard to defend him, to go against him. I've already told him he's never blocked my shot, so he'll have a chance now," Luka added with a smile.

If Slovenia manages to advance, basketball fans could witness a clash between two international NBA stars.

Utah Jazz All-Star big man Lauri Markkanen is situated in Group E with Finland, alongside Germany, Australia, and Japan. These two groups will merge following the initial round, culminating in the top two teams from each group squaring off in the second phase.

"Lauri is an amazing player. He had a big step forward last season, but even before, he was great. It was really amazing to watch him this year, he really improved so much. Utah gave him a big role, and he took advantage of it. Amazing player," Doncic praised Markkanen.

Slovenia is poised to kick off its FIBA World Cup journey on Saturday with a match against Venezuela.

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