The sports world was turned upside down late Saturday night when Dallas Mavericks star Luca Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that sent former Lakers forward Anthony Davis to the Mavs.
Fans, pundits, and even players around the league were all blindsided by the news. It was especially surprising considering Doncic led the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season, where they ultimately fell to the Boston Celtics.
Now, Doncic has released a statement for the first time since the jaw-dropping news broke.
“Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level. I thought I’d spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship.
“The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home. In good times and bad, from injuries to the NBA Finals, your support never changed.
“Thank you not only for sharing my joy in our best moments, but also for lifting me up when I needed it most. To all the organizations I’ve worked with throughout the Dallas community, thank you for letting me contribute to your important work and join you in bringing light to those who need it.
“As I start the next part of my basketball journey, I am leaving a city that will always feel like a home away from home. Dallas is a special place, and Mavs fans are special fans. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
Fans reacted to Doncic’s statement on social media.
“Notice no thank you to the Mavs organization, any coaches or teammates. They did nothing for his career?” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“As an honest Lakers fan since 1977 I will proudly say that we don’t want you here,” one fan added.
“You didn’t deserve this Luka. Please know that the city of Dallas loves you and the horrific actions of the Mavs leadership does not reflect what you mean to us. We hate them. We love you,” another fan added.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Mavericks perform without Luca’s game-changing presence on the court.
