Dirk Nowitzki breaks silence on Luka Doncic trade: 'I couldn't believe it'

PLANO, Texas - For the first time since the monumental trade of Luka Doncic, we're hearing from his friend and former teammate, Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki. 

Dirk, who is a special advisor with the Dallas Mavericks, acknowledged he's in a tough spot, but he talked at length about what happened.

What He Said:

Dirk’s Friday appearance at Ticketstock in Plano was set long before the infamous Luka trade went down. He made a point of saying that to the huge crowd that was on hand Friday night.

Dirk admitted he was uncomfortable speaking about the subject but said it was important for him to be there because of his longstanding relationship with The Ticket. 

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You could hear how loud the reception was when the Hall of Famer stepped onto that stage at the Plano Event Center.

Dirk detailed how he learned about the Luka trade in a candid exchange with The Ticket guys.

"When I saw the news, I was actually all across on the other side of the world. I was vacationing with family in the Maldives," he said. "We were about to go to lunch and we were leaving that day to travel back, and my phone just starts blowing up left and right."

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Dirk Nowitzki attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on February 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees

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Dirk says his initial reaction was shock.

"I just really couldn’t believe it that this is what happened," he said. "We texted a bit, of course. I felt a little disappointed and sad for him. I’m thinking 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."

Dirk says seeing Luka playing for a different team was strange. 

"It was surreal to see him play for the Lakers," he said. "At the end of the day, I’ll never be a Lakers fan, but I’ll always be a Luka fan."