The news of Luka Doncic’s transfer to the Lakers sent shockwaves through the basketball world, and few were more stunned than Dirk Nowitzki, the legendary Mavericks player. “I couldn’t believe it,” he recalled in an interview with ‘96.7 The Ticket’ in Dallas. “I spent over an hour scrolling through social media, trying to process what was happening and make sure it was real.” It’s no surprise that Nowitzki was taken aback – after all, he had envisioning Doncic following in his footsteps and spending his entire career with the Mavericks.
A Career Cut Short
Nowitzki, who has a statue outside the American Airlines Center, had hoped that Doncic would have a career similar to his own, playing for the Mavericks for his entire 21-season stint and leading the team to their only championship. In his farewell letter to fans, Doncic expressed his own desire to have spent his whole career in Dallas. It’s clear that Nowitzki felt a sense of disappointment and sadness for his former teammate, who he had mentored and befriended during his final season.
A Show of Support
When Nowitzki heard about the transfer, his initial reaction was to reach out to Doncic and offer his support. “I felt very sad for Luka, very disappointed,” he said. “It was obvious that he didn’t expect something like that to happen.” Nowitzki even attended Doncic’s first game with the Lakers, against the Jazz, to show his support. While it was tough for him to cheer on his former team’s rivals, he felt it was essential to be there for his friend. As he put it, “I felt that my place was there, showing that I supported him in this new step in his career.”
Despite the surreal experience of watching Doncic play for the Lakers, Nowitzki’s affection for his friend remains unwavering. “You saw my face, it was very rare… it was surreal to see Luka playing with that shirt,” he recalled. His parting message to Doncic was one of love and support: “It’s obvious that I will never be a fan of the Lakers, but I will always be a fan of Luka.”
