It might be the most ironic sight of the Dallas Mavericks’ disastrous season: team governor Patrick Dumont sitting courtside next to a kid wearing a Lakers Luka Doncic jersey, the very symbol of everything that’s gone wrong in Dallas since the trade that shocked the basketball world.
The fan’s name is Nicholas Dickason, who first went viral on opening night when he was caught flipping off Dumont during the Mavericks’ blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The moment, captured on broadcast cameras and replayed across social media, summed up the raw emotion of a fanbase still furious about the franchise’s decision to trade Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
But on Monday night, in an unexpected twist, Nicholas was back, this time sitting right next to Dumont at the American Airlines Center.
“I was pretty angered by the trade. So I bought the Lakers jersey to kind of show my opinion on the trade. My dad told me I had to apologize, so I did.”
Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont is sitting next to a kid wearing a Lakers Luka Doncic jersey. pic.twitter.com/XtUmRSzTAg
— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) November 11, 2025
The apology apparently worked, because not only did Dumont accept it, but he also invited Nicholas to sit beside him for the Mavericks’ matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Still, the sight of a young fan wearing a gold No. 77 Lakers jersey, representing Luka Doncic, the player the Mavericks gave away, sitting next to the team’s owner, was almost surreal.
The optics couldn’t come at a worse time for the Mavericks. After their 116–114 loss to Milwaukee, Dallas fell to 3–8, sitting 14th in the Western Conference, just half a game ahead of the league’s bottom spot. The tension around the franchise is palpable from the fan base’s ‘Fire Nico’ chants aimed at general manager Nico Harrison to the awkward body language among players on the bench.
The viral moment only adds another layer of embarrassment to a franchise spiraling out of control. Dumont, who took majority ownership last year after the Adelson family’s purchase, has faced mounting criticism for enabling Harrison’s front-office decisions, particularly the trade that sent Doncic to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a single future first-round pick. That deal, sold as a culture reboot, has instead become a cautionary tale.
Doncic is thriving with the Lakers, averaging 37.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists, while Dallas has the second-worst offense in the league and a fanbase that has turned openly hostile.
Harrison’s seat, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, is ‘sizzling hot,’ and a midseason firing now appears inevitable. His emotionless reaction to repeated ‘Fire Nico’ chants Monday night went viral within minutes, underscoring how disconnected the leadership in Dallas has become from its fans.
As for Nicholas, his appearance might have unintentionally provided the season’s most honest snapshot. A kid who loved Luka Doncic so much that he bought another team’s jersey now sits beside the man who greenlit the trade that broke the Mavericks’ identity.
Whether Dumont sees the symbolism or not, it’s clear the Mavericks’ problems extend far beyond the box score. The image of a young fan in Lakers gold beside the team owner in navy blue said everything — about lost faith, mismanagement, and a franchise still haunted by the one player they never should’ve let go.
