DALLAS — Hours before the game began, anticipation filled the air outside the American Airlines Center as fans gathered, hoping for a glimpse of a familiar face. `Luka`s here!` someone exclaimed, pointing towards Dirk Nowitzki Way as a car approached, igniting excitement among the crowd.
Whether it was actually him or not was secondary to the palpable excitement. A few fans even started running, wondering if a distinctive black Jeep might be carrying the man of the hour.
The Los Angeles Lakers were in town on Wednesday, marking their first visit since the impactful trade in February that saw Luka Dončić depart. The repercussions of losing the beloved Mavericks star were evident throughout the evening as Dončić, with a remarkable 45-point performance, led the Lakers to a 112-97 win over his former team.
Before the game, Rizzy N`Kele, wearing a Nowitzki jersey, stood by the street with a poster for Dončić that read, `Thanks For The Memories.` The poster featured three large photos of Dončić and was placed on folding tables. Fans stopped to write messages, and N`Kele mentioned his plan to get the poster to Dončić through a contact.
`For Luka, Dallas will always be like a home game,` N`Kele commented. `I have a feeling we`ll end up cheering for him even when we should be supporting the Mavs.`
N`Kele set two simple rules: no writing on Dončić`s photos and no `Fire Nico` messages. He wanted the poster to be a positive message from the city, despite the ongoing disapproval directed at Mavs GM Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the trade.
Within twenty minutes, the poster was completely filled with messages. N`Kele then rolled it up, packed his tables, and headed inside.
On Tuesday night, in another part of Dallas, street artists Juan Velazquez and Armando Aguirre spent three hours completing a mural that, according to Velazquez, captured his feelings about Harrison`s confusing explanation for the trade and the persistent backlash against the Mavericks.
Their chosen theme was direct: `Fire Nico.` Velazquez recalled inspiration from a TikTok photo after the trade announcement. It showed Mavericks superfan Chris Taylor using duct tape to cover the Mavs logo on his hat, replacing it with the anti-Harrison slogan that quickly spread across Dallas.
Velazquez raised $1,000 for supplies and labor, using 40 different spray paint colors in yellow, blue, and gray to recreate Taylor’s hat against a yellow background.
`It’s an iconic image,` Taylor said, observing the mural. `I believe it will be seen that way and receive a lot of attention and love.`
Taylor and his friend, Garrett Bussey, were central to the anti-Harrison movement, even being ejected from a February game for arguing with Mavericks part-owner Mark Cuban about the trade.
Despite leading `Fire Nico` chants at previous Mavs games, even directly to Harrison, Taylor said he wanted to avoid any such display on Wednesday. He and Bussey saw Dončić’s return as a celebration.
However, Taylor admitted he would join in if others started chanting.
Just four seconds into the game, `Fire Nico` chants echoed through the American Airlines Center, growing louder as the game continued.
FANS ARRIVED WEARING various Dončić jerseys, including Lakers and Mavericks No. 77, Slovenian national team jerseys, and even Real Madrid apparel, acknowledging his European basketball roots.
Fans traveled from as far as London, South Korea, and Thailand for his return.
`He’s a superstar,` said Robert Mohoric, part of a Slovenian group of six who spent approximately $11,000 to travel to Dallas for the game. `A global superstar. Everyone knows him.`
Two of the Slovenian fans had painted their faces with Slovenian flags and displayed a large national flag.
BrianGoldsmith, the Guinness World Record holder for fastest marathon in football gear, decided to honor Dončić’s return with a run. He completed 77 laps around the American Airlines Center in a Dončić uniform, including Luka 2 sneakers bought at a discount. Goldsmith ran nearly 25 miles, despite discomfort from the shoes midway through.
Two fans from Pennsylvania and staff from Chop Sports Victory Park, his run`s base, joined him for laps.
Chop Sports is known for the $7.77 Long Live Luka shot, now a permanent menu item. They offered a special Luka-themed menu with four drinks and three food items, all priced at $7.77, with 77% of proceeds for Dončić’s foundation. On Wednesday, they sold 131 shots, raising $2,000.
`Whether you’re a Lakers or Mavericks fan, you appreciate Luka,` Goldsmith stated. `His foundation helps many, and that’s why I wanted to run – to bring positivity.`
Beyond the positivity, key questions were: would protests occur, and how would the crowd react?
Inside the arena, each seat had a white T-shirt with `Hvala za vse` – `Thank you for everything` in Slovenian.
A palpable nervous energy filled the arena. Visiting players were introduced, but Dončić was last. A 2½-minute tribute video followed, highlighting his career, and then the arena erupted in sustained, loud cheers. Dončić was visibly moved to tears.
`Even without seeing Luka`s emotion, I would have been emotional,` said season-ticket holder Henry Neely. `Seeing him cry was both powerful and touching.`
Throughout the game, fans chanted `MVP` when Dončić went to the free-throw line. He received a standing ovation as he left the game with 1:37 remaining. Afterward, N`Kele told ESPN that Dončić saw the fan-made banner after Lakers security delivered it to him.
DURING THE PEAK of anti-Harrison sentiment in February, Jake Reedy created blue T-shirts with the GM’s face and a red clown nose. He brought one into the arena on February 13 and distributed more.
Unsure if he’d be ejected then, he wasn`t. This inspired him to sell the shirts, aiming to fill the arena on Wednesday with the same image, emphasizing that fan dissatisfaction with Harrison persisted.
On Wednesday, Reedy displayed his shirts for sale outside the arena, but police asked him to move. Having sold around 500 shirts since February, Reedy plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to Dončić`s foundation.
A flatbed truck passed by with a large sign: `FIRE NICO SELL THE TEAM.` More crowd chants ensued.
Walker Duke, ejected in February for protesting Harrison, arrived on Wednesday wearing a T-shirt showing him and his friend with a `Fire Nico` sign, covering it before entering.
Did the protests have an impact?
`I did what I could as a regular fan,` Reedy said. `I sent a message, donated to a good cause, and they adjusted their policies… Ultimately, our voices were heard.`
Fans hoped the homecoming would provide closure for the still-disappointed city. Even Dončić said it was `a hard question` if he felt closure on Wednesday.
N`Kele said he remains a Mavs fan despite the heartbreak. `But Jerry Jones never hurt me like Nico did. That’s saying something.`
Luis Ellis, a former season-ticket holder, saw it as cathartic, a time to `let Luka feel the love` and show him `the city didn`t betray you, it was the front office.`
The Mavericks made the play-in tournament, but post-Dončić, hope has turned to indifference. Some season-ticket holders are reconsidering renewals.
Two months prior, Taylor considered keeping his tickets but recently decided to give them up.
`I might go to the Toronto game on Friday,` Taylor said. `But there’s a good chance I won’t attend another Mavs game after this.`
