Luka Doncic entering the locker room will break the hearts of Dallas fans
The Luka Dončić trade still haunts Dallas Mavericks fan base to this day. It went unceremoniously to the Los Angeles Lakers last year without warning signs, that is From how the fans react to Doncic’s presence, it is clear that they still love their former star. Doncic was their best player for a while and was committed to staying with the team for the long haul, which makes the trade hurt more.
When the Lakers visited the Mavericks this season, the fans got a little hurt again at halftime. Doncic was interviewed by the “Inside the NBA” team after a great performance against his former team. The Slovenian admitted during the interview that during halftime he mistakenly went in the direction of the Mavs locker room before he remembered where he should be.
Luka Doncic joins the Inside NBA crew after dropping 33 points to his former team in Dallas 🙌
And yes, he accidentally went to the wrong locker room at halftime 😅 pic.twitter.com/krn2nimVFr
— ESPN (@espn) January 25, 2026
Doncic was drafted third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Mavericks. A young guy who made a name for himself in the Euroleague, Doncic was slated to be the franchise’s next Dirk Nowitzki. The star did that and then some, blossoming into a bona fide MVP candidate with the team. He collected five All-NBA and All-Star selections, won Rookie of the Year and won the scoring title in his final full season with the team. Doncic also led the Mavericks to the finals in 2024, where they lost to the Boston Celtics.
A year after the Finals ended, Doncic was traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Max Christie just weeks before the trade deadline. The move came completely out of left field, a true rarity in the age of thieves and leaks. That trade, as well as former GM Nick Harrison’s justification for the decision, was universally hated by Mavericks fans, especially since Doncic expressed his desire to retire with Dallas.
While Doncic wasn’t as dominant as he was in his first game in Dallas, The Lakers star continued to be instrumental in their victory over the Mavericks this season. Doncic scored 33 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out 11 assists as LA cruised to victory
2026-01-25 05:14:00
