Dallas Mavs' Luka Doncic 'Very Excited' to Play Against Real Madrid

Dallas Mavs superstar Luka Doncic is "very excited" to compete against his former team, Real Madrid, during an international exhibition match in Spain.

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks will soon embark on an eventful international preseason schedule in early October, featuring stops in Abu Dhabi and Madrid. The Mavs' matchup in Spain will be special for Luka Doncic as he will be facing his former team, Real Madrid, for the first time. 

Doncic, who played for Real Madrid from 2015 to 2018, credits his time with the club for raising him not only as a basketball player but also as a person. The Slovenian superstar learned everything between English, Spanish, and the nuances of basketball, describing it as his "second home."

"I've been thinking about this game since they told me we're going to play there," Doncic said. "That game's going to mean a lot to me. I was raised there. I learned how to speak their English, Spanish, well, everything. I learned how to play basketball. That's my second home. I'm very excited to be back there."

Left: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports; Right: Nikola Krstic/REX/Shutterstock

Doncic returning to compete against Real Madrid will mark a special occasion for Real Madrid and its fans. When Doncic declared for the NBA Draft in 2018, he left the club on the highest of notes, leading the team to a EuroLeague championship and was named EuroLeague MVP, All-EuroLeague First-Team, and EuroLeague MVP in his final season as final achievements in his impressive career. 

During the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Doncic competed against his former Real Madrid teammate, Edy Tavares, for the first time. Doncic led Slovenia to a victory over Cape Verde in the matchup, but before the game, Doncic described it as "special" to have the opportunity to compete against Tavares for the first time. Next, Doncic and Tavares will get a chance to compete, but this time with their professional clubs instead of doing so while representing their respective national teams. 

"I think it will be amazing, especially for him to have his team in Madrid where he, where he was born as the best basketball player when he turned into a superstar," Tavares told DallasBasketball.com in an exclusive interview. "It's going to be fun for him. It's going be a nice game for us and Madrid fans."

The matchup involving the Mavs and Real Madrid will occur on Oct. 10 at 8:45 p.m. CEST and 1:45 p.m. CST and can be viewed on NBA TV.