Luka Doncic never wanted to leave the Dallas Mavericks, and Wednesday night was a big-time reminder of that.
The Los Angeles Lakers star Doncic returned to Dallas on Wednesday for the first time since getting traded in February. During pregame introductions, Doncic was the final Lakers player to be announced, and the Mavericks paired his intro with an over two-minute-long tribute video in order to commemorate the occasion.
Doncic could hardly watch the video, which featured many of his special moments from his six-and-a-half years in Dallas. He was seen wiping away some visible tears with a towel as the tribute aired.
Take a look below.
Though still only 26 years old, Doncic put together an incredible resume during his time in Dallas. He was a five-time All-Star, a five-time First Team All-NBA selection, the NBA scoring champion in 2023-24, and the centerpiece of the Mavericks team that went to the NBA Finals in 2024. Doncic had all the makings of a Mavs lifer (like Dirk Nowitzki before him), and he still clearly has not gotten over the emotions of his sudden and unwanted trade.
Right before Doncic got dealt, he had just made a major purchase in Dallas, a city that will obviously hold a special place in his heart forever. As for the Mavericks management team that made the decision to trade Doncic away, they continue to get grief from the local fans over the very unpopular move (especially general manager Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the trade).
