Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was on a family vacation when news of the seismic Luke Doncic-Anthony Davis trade broke, but he found out about it quickly. 

“When I saw the news, I was actually all across on the other side of the world. I was on vacation with the family in the Maldives. . . . Actually about to go to lunch, and then we’re leaving that day to travel back, and my phone starts blowing up,” Nowitzki said during an appearance at 96.7 The Ticket’s Ticketstock event. 

Nowitzki and Doncic overlapped for one season in Dallas and formed a strong relationship. He said they texted after the trade went down. 

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Dirk Nowitzki gives his speech as he is inducted into the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall.  (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)

“Fast-forward coming home, obviously Luka, we texted a bit. I felt a little disappointed and sad for him. He obviously didn’t see this coming. He invited me to come out to his first game in (Los Angeles), and I felt like I had to support him,” Nowitzki said. 

“I played with him in my last season. We got close. I tried to mentor him, I tried to help as much as I can in the last few years.”

Mavericks fans hoped that Doncic would be like Nowitzki, the superstar who stayed in Dallas his whole career and won a title for them. 

LUKA DONCIC TRADE TO LAKERS COULDN’T BE VETOED, NBA COMMISH SAYS

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) greets former player Dirk Nowitzki after beating the Phoenix Suns in game seven of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center.  (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

Doncic, like Mavericks fans, was “disappointed” with the trade. Nowitzki attended Doncic’s first game with the Los Angeles Lakers in support of Doncic, and not the Lakers. 

“He’s a good kid, so I felt like I had to go out there and support him in this new chapter. It was reported that he was pretty down and disappointed how it went down, so I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to be there for his family and show support,” Nowitzki said. 

“You guys saw my face, it was weird. It was surreal to see him play for the Lakers. I’ll never be a Lakers fan, but I must always be a Luka fan.”

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic gestures as he comes back in during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Doncic said that Nowiztki being there for his Lakers debut was “amazing,” via the Dallas Morning News. 

The centerpiece of the return in the Doncic trade for the Mavericks was Anthony Davis. Davis injured his groin in one of his first games with the Mavericks and has been out since. 

The Mavericks and Lakers are set to face off for the first time since the trade on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 10:00 p.m. ET. 

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