Luka Doncic, 2K Foundations Rebuild His Community Basketball Courts in His Hometown

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic and 2K Foundations announced a partnership Saturday that included rebuilding basketball courts in the NBA star's hometown of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

"This is a very exciting day for me. I have great memories growing up in Ljubljana. These are my childhood courts where I learned and practiced the game," Doncic said. "It's an honor to be able to give back to my city and to my country that gave me so much and that I love. The opportunity for kids to play on the same courts and pursue the same dreams I had is something I am excited about."

2K Foundations is the philanthropic arm of 2K, the company that develops video games such as NBA 2K22, which counts Doncic among this year's cover athletes.

"Foundations plays a very important role for 2K and our sports titles. We're incredibly proud of the contributions made to communities, from court refurbishments to STEM programming. Since 2018, the foundation has completed over 40 community enrichment projects, reaching communities across the globe," 2K president David Ismailer said. "We're honored to have created a program that plays a part in giving some of the world's biggest athletes and talents, such as Luka, the chance to further connect with the communities that mean so much to them."

Doncic worked with local graphic artist Nejc Prah to create the court's design, which incorporates his initials, Mavs jersey number (77) and the use of negative space to create an 'S' for Slovenia.

The 22-year-old two-time NBA All-Star returned to his hometown to sign the courts as part of a dedication ceremony that featured local kids playing scrimmages and three-on-three games.

Doncic recently represented Slovenia at the Tokyo Olympics and quickly emerged as one of the tournament's best players with a 48-point performance against Argentina in the group stage. The team reached the semifinals but wasn't able to secure a spot on the podium.

"It's definitely not easy. We fought till the end! What a pleasure has been playing for my country in 1st Olympics ever for us! So proud of these guys! And thank you Slovenians for supporting us every game!" Doncic wrote on Instagram after the Summer Games.

He previously helped lead Slovenia to the 2017 EuroBasket gold medal.

Doncic, who's now a perennial MVP candidate in the NBA, will soon return to the Mavericks for the 2021-22 season.

Dallas tips off the campaign Oct. 21 when it visits the Atlanta Hawks.