Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News describes the fan reaction to the Mavs trading Luka Dončić.
Seven years after joining the Mavericks in a trade during the 2018 NBA Draft, Luka Dončić is headed for Los Angeles to team up with LeBron James and the Lakers in a trade that reverberated throughout the league.
After the deal went official Sunday morning, Dončić chimed in with a note to Mavericks fans on social media, using the “#MFFL” (Mavs Fan for Life) tag.
Doncic said in a letter to the city that he “wanted so badly to bring you a championship” and that he thought he’d spend his career in Dallas.
“For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home,” Doncic wrote. “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.”
Doncic was enormously popular in Dallas — and everywhere else. His No. 77 Mavericks jersey ranked eighth among best-sellers through NBAStore.com over the first half of the season. On Sunday night, some Doncic items remained for sale on the Mavs’ shopping site.
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His jersey sales will likely skyrocket again now, when the Lakers make his new ones available.
“Grateful for this amazing opportunity,” Doncic wrote in another social media post, linking it to one from the Lakers’ accounts welcoming him to Los Angeles. “Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion and goal — to win championships.”
Here’s the full text of his letter:
“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.”
#MFFL pic.twitter.com/qVMcV2uh5m
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) February 2, 2025
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
