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Never in his wildest dreams had the Slovenian Superstar Luka Doncic imagined that his 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign would begin with a missile strike. But that is what happened in Okinawa, Japan when the Dallas Mavericks guard was woken up in the middle of the night by a failed North Korean missile test.

The incident took place ahead of the commencement of the FIBA World Cup in Japan. The tournament was not affected by the scare. And all the scheduled matches for Friday were completed successfully. Following the missile strike, Luka Doncic representing Slovenia in the World Cup had something to say about the incident.

Luka Doncic addresses North Korea’s missile strike

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Following the North Korea’s failed missile strike in the middle of the night, the Dallas Mavericks guard was asked how he felt. “I didn’t sleep much,” Doncic said as the entire city was woken up at 4 AM by a loud alarm. “The alarm was something crazy. I just saw the missile coming, so I was a little scared.”

Little Scared” is probably an understatement for the event that took place in Japan. The incident left many people worried, but the 2023 FIBA World Cup began as scheduled.

Read More: Injury Report: Luka Doncic’s Team Suffers Massive Setback as 6’8 Nuggets Forward Set to Miss 2023 FIBA World Cup

North Korea later confirmed that their missile launch was a failed attempt at launching a spy satellite. But considering the country’s political stance, no one can be absolutely sure about their comments.

Luka Doncic dropped a 37-point bomb of his own

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Even the North Korean missile could not faze the 5-time All-Star. Doncic opened the tournament with a monstrous 37-point performance and led Slovenia to their first win in this year’s FIBA World Cup. With Doncic leading the way, Slovenia beat Venezuela 100-85, giving the team a solid start to their campaign. Luka finished with 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

USA Today via Reuters

Luka is playing in the World Cup after a disappointing NBA season, where the Dallas Mavericks were unable to make the playoffs. He would love to get some redemption playing for his country and winning the 2023 World Cup. With his elite performance in the first match, Luka looks in great shape and ready to take on his next opponent, Georgia.

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Meanwhile, Japan and all the other participating countries will hope that there are no more scares like the North Korean missile strike for the rest of the tournament.