Dirk Nowitzki Reveals Why Luka Doncic Invited Him to Lakers Debut

The former Mavericks MVP was on hand to support his supposed Dallas heir apparent's first game for Los Angeles.

December 1, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA: Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) meets with former player Dirk Nowitzki following the 114-100 victory at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In something of a stunner, former Dallas Mavericks MVP power forward Dirk Nowitzki was on hand to support his supposed Dallas heir apparent Luka Doncic's first game for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 7-foot- superstar big man played all 21 of his NBA seasons for Dallas, a ferocious rival of the Kobe Bryant-era Lakers, so seeing him rubber-stamp Doncic's debut for one of his least-favorite West franchises was shocking.

More Ball Around: Jersey Shore Star Vinny Guadagnino Shares Wild Kobe Bryant Story

Per Michelle Montaine of WFAA Dallas, Nowitzki indicated recently that Doncic asked him to show up and take in Doncic's playing debut for the Lakers, a 132-113 blowout of the Utah Jazz on February 10.

While playing just 24 minutes under a timing restriction, the 6-foot-6 guard scored 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field (1-of-7 from long range) and 3-of-3 shooting from the foul line, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out four assists (against one turnover)

Dirk on his text exchange with Luka Doncic following the trade:

"He invited me to come out to his first game in LA... He was pretty down & disappointed on how it went down, so I wanted to be there for him."

"But you guys saw my face...it was weird." pic.twitter.com/MGEUkI9fXH

— Michelle Montaine (@michmontaine) February 22, 2025

"Obviously Luka, we texted me a bit of course. I felt a little disappointed and sad for him. I think he obviously didn't see this coming. So he invited me to come out to his first game in LA, and I felt like I had to support him," Nowitzki said. "I played with him in my last season. We've gotten close, I've tried to mentor him, I've tried to help him as much as I can, these last few years."

After spending four pro seasons with German club DJK Würzburg as a teenager, the Würzburg-born Nowitzki was selected with the No. 9 pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and promptly had his draft rights flipped to the Mavericks for Robert "Tractor" Traylor, who never got close to sniffing an All-Star team, let alone an MVP award.

Nowitzki was a total unicorn in his day as a jump-shooting big man who could stretch the floor and play with his back to the basket. A 14-time All-Star and 12-time All-NBA selection, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the playoffs as their best player 15 times, including a pair of NBA Finals berths in 2006 and 2011. Dallas won it all in that second Finals appearance, vanquishing a Hall of Fame-laden Miami Heat squad featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all at the absolute peak of their powers.

Doncic had looked like Nowitzki's successor in Dallas. A five-time All-NBA First Teamer, the 25-year-old was fresh from leading the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals, their first appearance since Nowitzki's triumph 13 years earlier. Dallas ownership and management, reticent to pay Doncic the full $345 million supermax for which he'd be eligible this summer, decided to trade him to L.A. for a widely criticized return haul.

The 6-foot-6 guard was apparently blindsided by the move.

"I think he was — I mean, it was reported that he was pretty down and disappointed on how it went down, so I wanted to be there for him, I wanted to be there for his family and show my support," Nowitzki said. "But you guys saw my face, it was weird, it was surreal to see him play for the Lakers. So at the end of the day I'll never be a Lakers fan but I'll always be a Luka fan."

More Ball Around: Unrivaled's Laces BC Land WNBA All-Star in Massive Signing

On Saturday night, the 33-21 Lakers will be in Ball Arena for a road tilt against the West's No. 2 seed, the 37-19 Denver Nuggets. Doncic, who sat out L.A.'s latest game — a 110-102 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday — while he manages a lingering left calf strain, is considered probable to suit up for this Nuggets encounter, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

Luka and LeBron are probable in Denver pic.twitter.com/8s3lGoYQ2a

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 21, 2025

Doncic is currently averaging just 14.7 points on .356/.208/.583 shooting splits, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 0.7 steals a night in his three healthy games for Los Angeles, although he's clearly not quite healthy just yet and still under some level of a minutes restriction.

More Ball Around:

Fans React to LiAngelo Ball's NBA All-Star Weekend Performance

Former Lakers Champion Signs with Team in China

Shaquille O'Neal Reportedly Agrees to Massive Contract with TNT Paying Him Over $15 Million Per Year

For more Ball Around news, visit Ball Around on SI.