Luka Doncic excelled in his first-ever game at the American Airlines Center as a visiting team member as the Los Angeles Lakers triumphed with a 112-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic was the center of attention due to his emotionally charged return to the city he called home for almost seven years. He was brilliant in a 45-point outing to defeat the Mavericks for the second time since being traded.
After the win, Luka focused his attention on launching the Jordan Luka 4s in Dallas itself. He worked as a cashier at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Dallas, interacting with kids and fans of the city that still love him.
🚨🚨MUST SEE🚨🚨
Luka Doncic works as a cashier at @DICKS in Dallas the day after dropping 45 points in a #Lakers win over his former #Mavericks team #LakeShow
Luka also signed autographs, gave the youth advice and promoted his new shoe.
More tonight on @SportsCentralLA pic.twitter.com/dTAZhGquqx
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) April 10, 2025
The launch of the shoe has been really interesting. It was clearly interrupted by the mind-blowing trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers, but Jordan Brand has done a great job of utilizing that in making the release for this shoe more compelling.
Based on all the reports about Doncic’s poor work ethic while in Dallas, Jordan Brand devised the ‘Trial of Luka Doncic,’ where Luka is put on trial for his ‘bad behavior.’
He’s asked if he likes being a bad man in court, and he’s referred to as a ‘nasty trash-talking menace.’ It ends with the tagline ‘A Bad Man Needs His Nice Shoes.’ It ends with Coming Soon written on the screen, so this is likely the start of a series.
They’re really putting Luka on trial 😂😂😂
Jordan Brand just dropped a campaign for Luka Doncic asking whether he needs to answer for his “bad behavior.”
(📽️: @Jumpman23) pic.twitter.com/gp6TAFeu5A
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) April 10, 2025
It seems that Doncic’s brand partners have had a blast using the obvious social context of how the Mavericks organization treated him with this cold-hearted winter trade. Even Gatorade seemingly took shots at the Mavericks in their ad with Doncic before the return game.
Interest around the game was incredibly high. Luka put up 45 points (16-28 FG), eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals in the win, urging everyone to move on from his relationship with Dallas after what felt like a climactic ending.
The Mavericks will hope the rivalry continues because it means they’re a Playoff-caliber team like the Lakers with Doncic are and likely will be over the coming years.
Luka Doncic’s Departure Cost The Mavericks A Billion Dollars
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon revealed that Doncic’s departure has cost the franchise close to nine figures over the next several years. This is due to the adverse impact on attendance, merchandising sales, sponsors cutties ties, and season-ticket refunds.
“It’s a decision, team sources told ESPN, that probably will cost the franchise nine figures over the next several years, as the Mavs are projected to lose dozens of millions in revenue this season due to dwindling crowds, plummeting merchandise sales and sponsors severing ties with the franchise in the wake of the trade. So many fans canceled season tickets in the days after the trade that the Mavs attempted to generate some goodwill by offering limited refunds.”
MacMahone also revealed that the Mavericks wanted to collaborate with some of Doncic’s sponsors and partners for his return but weren’t given the blessing to do so by Doncic’s team.
“Team sources told ESPN that the Mavs had also lined up lucrative sponsorship deals for Wednesday’s game, with multiple companies that Doncic endorses,” MacMahon wrote, “but those deals fell apart after Doncic’s camp declined to give its blessing, pointedly noting that he now plays for the Lakers.”
Even though the Luka 4s were released in Dallas amidst the hype of his homecoming, it’s highly unlikely any other edition of the shoe will be released here again.
Naturally, Doncic’s brand partners and his fans will follow him to LA. His fans will be buying Lakers jerseys instead of Mavericks jerseys. This applies to all other sorts of income-generating things that a superstar like Doncic brings to a city and a franchise.
