DALLAS — Hours before the game, a small crowd waited outside the American Airlines Center, hoping to catch a glimpse of Luka Dončić`s arrival. Fans excitedly pointed towards Dirk Nowitzki Way as a vehicle approached, with one shouting, “There`s Luka!”
Whether it was him or not, the excitement was building. Some fans even started running, thinking a customized black Jeep might be carrying Dončić.
The Los Angeles Lakers were in Dallas Wednesday for the first time since trading Luka Dončić in February. The impact of losing Dončić was evident as he scored 45 points, leading the Lakers to a 112-97 victory over his former team.
Before the game, Rizzy N`Kele stood in a Nowitzki jersey with a poster for Dončić that read, “Thanks For The Memories.” The poster featured Dončić photos and was set up on folding tables. Fans added messages, and N`Kele planned to get it to Dončić.
N`Kele commented that Dallas will always feel like a home game for Dončić, saying, “Because I feel like we`re going to be cheering for him when we should be cheering for the Mavs.”
N`Kele set two rules for signing the poster: no signing on Dončić`s photos and no “Fire Nico” messages. He wanted it to be a positive gift despite fan anger at Mavericks GM Nico Harrison for the trade.
Within twenty minutes, the poster was full. N`Kele packed it up and went inside.
The night before, street artists Juan Velazquez and Armando Aguirre finished a mural expressing feelings about Harrison`s trade explanation and the backlash against the Mavericks.
Their mural`s theme was “Fire Nico.” Velazquez was inspired by a TikTok photo after the trade of Mavericks superfan Chris Taylor using duct tape to write “Fire Nico” over the Mavs logo on his hat, which became a Dallas rallying cry.
Velazquez raised $1,000 for supplies, using 40 spray paint colors to recreate Taylor`s hat on a yellow background.
Taylor, viewing the mural, called it “iconic” and predicted it would be well-received and get attention.
Taylor and Garrett Bussey helped start the anti-Harrison movement after being ejected from a February game for arguing with Mark Cuban about the trade.
Despite leading “Fire Nico” chants at games for two months, even to Harrison`s face, Taylor wanted Wednesday to be a celebration of Dončić`s return.
But Taylor said he`d join in if others chanted “Fire Nico.”
Four seconds into the game, “Fire Nico” chants began, growing louder as the game continued.
FANS WERE DRESSED in Dončić jerseys, including Lakers and Mavericks No. 77, Slovenian national team jerseys, and even Real Madrid gear.
Fans came from London, South Korea, and Thailand for his return.
Robert Mohoric, one of six Slovenian fans who spent about $11,000 to come to Dallas, said, “He`s a superstar. He`s a world superstar. Everybody knows him.”
Two fans had Slovenian flags painted on their faces and held a large flag.
BrianGoldsmith, the Guinness World Record holder for fastest marathon in football gear, ran 77 laps around the arena in Dončić`s uniform and Luka 2 sneakers, almost 25 miles, even though the shoes hurt his feet.
Two fans from Pennsylvania and Chop Sports Victory Park staffers joined him for laps.
Chop Sports created the $7.77 Long Live Luka shot and a special Luka menu with themed drinks and food, priced at $7.77, with 77% of proceeds for Dončić`s foundation. Wednesday, they sold 131 shots and raised $2,000.
Goldsmith said, “Whether you`re a Laker fan or a Mavericks fan, you love Luka. The foundation helps everybody, and that`s why I thought I would run. That was the mission, to bring some positivity.”
Besides positivity, the main questions were about protests and crowd reaction.
Inside, each seat had a white T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse” (“Thank you for everything” in Slovenian).
There was nervous energy in the arena. Visiting players were introduced, and Dončić was last. A 2½-minute tribute video played, followed by loud cheers. Dončić teared up.
Season-ticket holder Henry Neely said, “Even if I didn`t see Luka get emotional, I would have gotten emotional. Seeing him shed tears was great and emotional.”
Fans chanted “MVP” when Dončić was at the free-throw line and gave him a standing ovation when he left the game. N`Kele told ESPN that Dončić saw the fan banner after N`Kele asked Lakers security to give it to him.
DURING THE PEAK of anti-Harrison sentiment in February, Jake Reedy made blue T-shirts with Harrison as a clown. He brought them into the arena on Feb. 13 and gave extras to others.
He wasn`t sure if he`d be ejected then, but he wasn`t, and it led him to sell shirts to fill the arena with the same image, showing that fan disapproval of Harrison remained.
Wednesday, police asked Reedy to move his shirt sales outside the arena. Having sold about 500 shirts since February, Reedy plans to donate some proceeds to Dončić`s foundation.
A truck drove by with a “FIRE NICO SELL THE TEAM” sign. More chants followed.
Walker Duke, ejected in February for protesting Harrison, wore a T-shirt showing him and his friend with a “Fire Nico” sign but covered it to enter the arena.
Did the protests matter?
Reedy said, “I did everything I could as a casual fan. I made a message. I donated to a good cause and they changed their policies … At the end of the day, our voices were heard.”
Fans hoped the homecoming would bring closure. Dončić said it was “a hard question” if he felt closure.
N`Kele remains a Mavs fan, saying, “Jerry Jones ain`t never hurt me the way Nico did. That`s saying a lot.”
Luis Ellis, a former season-ticket holder, called it cathartic, to “let Luka feel the love” and show him “that the town wasn`t the one that, you know, betrayed you. It was the front office.”
The Mavericks made the play-in tournament, but post-Dončić, hope is now ambivalence. Some season-ticket holders consider not renewing.
Taylor, who considered keeping his tickets two months ago, recently decided to give them up.
Taylor said he might go to the Friday game against Toronto, “But there`s actually a good chance I`ll never be at a Mavs game again after this.”
