PORTLAND, Ore. — The news was universally expected, but Thursday night’s official reveal on TNT was no less exhilarating for the Mavericks franchise and its fans.

Luka Doncic, at 20 years old, is an NBA All-Star. Check that: All-Star starter.

Doncic said he officially found out when he saw his name on a TV screen while sitting in a room at the Mavericks’ Portland hotel, waiting for TNT to interview him, which in itself killed any suspense.

“A little,” he said with a smile, after warming up for the Mavericks’ Thursday night game against Portland at Moda Center. “But it was still amazing to see.”

Doncic’s earliest All-Star memories are of waking up in his early teens in Slovenia to watch the game.

“I used to wake up 3, 4 in the morning and watch it,” he said. “Now I’m here. It’s just a blessing. I never really thought I would be here, but it’s a dream come true.”

Doncic becomes the third player in the Mavericks’ 40-season history to be named an All-Star starter, joining Dirk Nowitzki (2007 and 2010) and Jason Kidd (1996). Doncic and Kidd were voted in, while Nowitzki’s starting berths were as an injury replacement.

“Beyond our wildest dreams,” Mavericks president and general manager Donnie Nelson said. “Think of all the stuff that he’s done. He’s made all of our players better. He’s grabbed a baton that Dirk held for 21 years, and he’s done it in light speed.

“To be able to see him grow game-by-game through his first year and now come into his own in his second year — way ahead of what we thought and envisioned — and now represent the West as a starter, it’s a dream.”

This is the fourth year since the All-Star-starter selection process was altered from a fan-only vote to a weighted process, with fan ballots accounting for 50%, current NBA players 25% and a national media panel 25%.

Doncic’s berth, viewed through the wider lenses of the NBA and global basketball, is historic.

When the 69th All-Star Game is played on Feb. 16 in Chicago’s United Center, Doncic will be 20 years and 353 days old, making him the ninth-youngest participant in history and sixth-youngest starter.

And the youngest starter since LeBron James in 2005. And the youngest European player to appear in an All-Star Game.

Luka speaks. Faulty 🎥 work. Blame the cameraman. pic.twitter.com/LNjHRTArn7 — Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 24, 2020

Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Doncic’s averages have spiked to 29.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists for the turnaround-story 27-16 Mavericks.

Those credentials would make him All-Star-starter worthy in any season, but in the timing-matters department, Doncic has catapulted himself into Most Valuable Player contention in the same season that six-time All-Star starter Steph Curry has played only four games due to a broken hand.

In future years, All-Star voters will have to choose two starters among Western Conference star guards Doncic, Curry, James Harden and others.

Now Doncic and seven other All-Star starters will wait until the reserves are named next Thursday, after which captains James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will pick the two sides, regardless of conference affiliation.

Doncic, who grew up idolizing James, said of potentially playing on James’ team: “It would be amazing. Everyone knows what LeBron means to me. It would be special, for sure.”

Doncic, though, laughed and shook his head when asked if he will lobby James to choose him.

Doncic leads the league in triple-doubles this season, 12, compared with runner-up James’ nine. Though he has played only 111 career games, Doncic’s 20 triple-doubles are just one shy of the Mavericks career record held by Kidd, who played 500 games for Dallas.

“So excited for him,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “So excited for the franchise. So well-deserved. It’s just a really exciting time, for our team, for him, his career and certainly the future.”

Doncic is the 10th Maverick player to be selected for the All-Star Game. Two Mavericks coaches, Avery Johnson (2006) and Don Nelson (2002) have coached the game.

For a Mavericks franchise that hasn’t advanced past the first round of the playoff since winning the 2011 NBA title, this is a momentous and validating moment.

Validating in the sense that the franchise’s brain trust zeroed in on teenager Doncic more than a year before the 2018 draft.

Then on that June 21 draft day, the franchise was so certain in its evaluation of Doncic’s talents that it traded its No. 5 overall 2018 pick, as well as its 2019 first-round pick, to Atlanta to get No. 3 selection Doncic.

Asked whether Doncic’s play and All-Star selection are validating for him, personally, Donnie Nelson smiled.

“You know, it’s relieving,” he said. “In my industry, I’m happy when my head coach and my owner are happy, and when my fans are happy.

“In giving Dirk the proper sendoff, it wasn’t perfect the last couple of years, and we understand that. . . Luka is our quarterback. To have him play like he does at the age of 20 and to represent the city and the franchise, it’s really kind of storybook stuff.

“We’re grateful. We are appreciative. We are excited about the future. And the credit goes to the guy who gave the thumbs up in the draft room — and that’s Mr. Mark Cuban.”

Youngest All-Stars

Doncic will be 20 years and 353 days old when the All-Star game is played in Chicago. He will be the ninth-youngest All-Star in history, the sixth-youngest starter and the youngest starter since LeBron James in 2005.

Player Year selected Age during ASG Kobe Bryant* 1998 19 years, 169 days LeBron James* 2005 20 years, 52 days Magic Johnson* 1980 20 years, 172 days Kevin Garnett 1997 20 years, 266 days Isiah Thomas* 1982 20 years, 276 days Kyrie Irving 2013 20 years, 331 days Anthony Davis 2014 20 years, 342 days Shaquille O’Neal* 1993 20 years, 352 days Luka Doncic* 2020 20 years, 353 days Dwight Howard 2007 21 years, 72 days

* - player was a starter during the All-Star Game