Soumis à Journal of functional analysisThe Dunkl operators involve a multiplicity function k as parameter. For positive real values of this function, we consider on the Schwartz space S(RN) a representation ωk of \s\l(2,\R) defined in terms of the Dunkl-Laplacian operator. By means of a beautiful theorem due to E. Nelson, we prove that ωk exponentiates to a unique unitary representation Ωk of the universal covering group \GG of SL(2,R). Next we show that the Dunkl transform is given by Ωk(g∘), for an element g_\circ \in \GG. Finally, the representation theory is used to derive a Bochner-type identity for the Dunkl transform