Dallas Mavericks superstar forward Luka Doncic, playing for his native Slovenia for the FIBA World cup in Japan, suffered the scare of a lifetime this week.
At roughly 4 a.m., an emergency siren blasted through Okinawa, Japan, alerting residents, including Doncic, of North Korea missile activity in the region.
“Oh yeah, the alarm was crazy,” Doncic said of the siren raised by activity from the reclusive communist country led by Kim Jong Un. “I mean, I just saw missiles. It’s coming. Missile, it’s coming. So I was a little scared.”
FIBA released a statement detailing the harrowing 13-minute affair that began with the use of Japan’s J-Alert system.
“Due to the launch of a satellite by North Korea, the Japanese Government sent two alarms via the “J-Alert system” on all cell phones in Okinawa early this morning,” the statement said. “The first was sent at 3:54 am and the second at 4:07 am, clearing the alarm.”
Japan warned its citizens that the next J-Alert could come in October.
“In case the J-Alert system is activated, everyone is advised to stay or go inside to a nearby building,” the statement explained. “According to the North Korea’s notice, the next test could potentially take place in October.”
Thankfully for Doncic, he should be back in the United States by then.
