CHICAGO _ In recent days, while rehabbing a right ankle sprain that initially jeopardized his chances of playing in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game, Luka Doncic allowed himself to envision what it will be like.
Now that he's back and healthy, as evidenced by Wednesday's 33-point, 12-rebound return performance for the Mavericks, those daydreams are about to materialize.
He will play alongside James Harden, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard, as the sixth-youngest All-Star starter in the game's 69-year history. He'll probably toss an alley-oop, or a few, to his captain, LeBron James, the player he idolized while growing up in Slovenia.
"Yeah, I hope so," Doncic said. "I'm not going to be the one dunking, that's for sure."
For reporters, the wisecrack was a rare glimpse of Doncic's sense of humor _ the playful side that his family, friends and teammates routinely see.
When Doncic plays in Friday night's Rising Stars game at the United Center, in what amounts to a warmup for his Sunday night All-Star Game debut, it will be exactly two weeks before his 21st birthday.
He unquestionably has earned this All-Star starting berth, the first by a Maverick since Dirk Nowitzki in 2010, but that isn't to say Doncic is comfortable with the "Star" part, especially the media attention that comes with it.
"It's part of the job and you've just got to get used to it," he said.
Asked whether the attention is something he wants, he shrugged.
"I don't know. Sometimes yes, sometimes no."
Of course, this isn't Doncic's first All-Star weekend. Last February in Charlotte he played in the Rising Stars game and participated in the Saturday night Skills Challenge, but in Sunday's All-Star Game the sole Maverick was Nowitzki, making his 14th and final appearance.
The Doncic and Nowitzki traveling parties flew together to Charlotte on Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's plane.
This year, the small Doncic contingent has Cuban's plane, and from a Mavericks-perspective All-Star weekend, to itself. Doncic, his mother, grandmother, girlfriend Anamaria Goltes, Spain-based agent Quique Villalobos, and Cuban were scheduled to land in Chicago at around 9 p.m.
When Doncic sprained his ankle on Jan. 30, putting his All-Star weekend participation in question, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said it was important to the organization, provided the ankle healed in time, for Doncic to go to Chicago and play.
What does Cuban hope his young star gains from the experience?
"That he has fun," Cuban said. "That's it. I'm sure he'll make new friends, but, same as I did for Dirk, same as I did for any of our guys, I just want him to have fun.
"It's a unique opportunity. And hopefully he'll be there for a lot of years in a row."
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) is defended by Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) is defended by Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)(Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP)
