It's official.
The Los Angeles Lakers Sunday officially announced the arrival of Luka Doncic, while the Dallas Mavericks did the same for Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
Shortly after, Doncic posted a letter he penned to Mavericks fans, calling them and the city "special" while saying Dallas "will always feel like a home away from home."
"Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level," Doncic wrote in a letter titled "Dear Dallas." "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 for not only sharing my joy in our best moments, but also for lifting me up when I needed it most."
Here's the full letter:
In a follow up post quoting his announcement by the Lakers, Doncic wrote: "Grateful for this amazing opportunity. 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."
Grateful for this amazing opportunity. 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. https://t.co/psfgI5o9Pn
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) February 2, 2025
In one of the most shocking trades in league history, Doncic, Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber joined the Lakers while Davis, Christie and a 2029 Lakers first-rounder went to Dallas.
The Utah Jazz acted as the third team and received Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 Clippers second-rounder and a 2025 Dallas second.
Doncic was the No. 3 overall pick in 2018 by the Atlanta Hawks but was traded to Dallas on draft day with Trae Young going the other way.
After leading Dallas to the NBA Finals last season, the franchise's third ever, Doncic concluded his run as a Maverick with five All-Star nods, five All-NBA First Team selections, Rookie of the Year and the league scoring champion in 2024.
The 25-year-old also is Dallas' franchise leader in career triple-doubles as well as scoring the most points in a season. Had he stayed a Maverick his whole career, he could've rivaled Dirk Nowitzki as the franchise's greatest ever.
Here are five things to know about the third-overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Luka Doncic.
