Nowitzki wasn’t just some retired legend watching from a distance—he was right there for Luka’s rise in Dallas. Their time together was brief, just that 2018-19 season, but it meant something. Dirk was on his farewell tour, and Luka was out there winning Rookie of the Year, making it clear he was the next face of the franchise. The kid was unreal right out of the gate—21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists as a rookie? Come on! Meanwhile, Dirk, in his 21st and final season, wasn’t putting up crazy numbers anymore, but he still gave fans what they came for. Dallas planned for a smooth passing of the torch, securing its future for years to come.

But that plan? Didn’t work out. Just five seasons later, Luka was gone, and even Dirk struggled to wrap his head around it. “I felt a little disappointed and sad for him, you know. I think he obviously didn’t see this coming,” he said. And that right there tells you everything. Luka never publicly said he wanted out, even with all the behind-the-scenes frustration in Dallas. Getting blindsided like this? Yeah, something was definitely off. Another superstar exit. Another messy NBA breakup.

Instead of staying out of it, like a lot of retired stars would, Dirk made sure to be there for Luka at his first Lakers game. “So he invited me to come out to his first game in LA, and I felt like I had to support him. I felt like, you know, 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 in the last few years.” And that’s what makes Dirk Dirk. He didn’t sit on the sidelines and stay neutral—he showed up courtside for his guy.

Luka’s demeanor before his first Lakers game clearly showed how hard the trade hit him. Reports said he felt “down and disappointed,” about how everything unfolded, and Dirk definitely saw it. “He’s just, he’s a good kid. So I felt like I had to go out there and support him in this new chapter,” Dirk said. “Because, you know, I think he was, I mean, it was reported that he was pretty, obviously down and disappointed how it went down.”

Luka’s moving on, adjusting to life in LA, but for people who watched him become the player he is in Dallas—especially Dirk—this whole thing still feels surreal. “I wanted to be there for him, I wanted to be there for his family and show support. But, I mean, you guys saw my face. It was weird, it was surreal to see him play for the Lakers.“

And that last line pretty much said it all. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Luka was supposed to be the guy in Dallas for the next decade, just like Dirk was. But the NBA today? It’s different. Superstars don’t stay put like they used to. Even a generational talent like Luka can’t count on long-term stability anymore.

Mavs’ Latest Move Sparks Wild Luka Doncic Controversy

So while Dirk was out in LA supporting Luka, the Mavs were back home doing… whatever this was. They dropped a team hype video featuring Dallas rapper Dorrough, but fans noticed something off right away—Luka Doncic seemed to be missing.

The Mavs replaced some players with dark, shadowy silhouettes, sparking speculation that they had literally edited Luka out. The team hasn’t said anything about it, but let’s be real—this is the internet. People see these things. And if it was intentional? Yikes.

Trying to erase Luka from Mavs’ history? Yeah, good luck with that. In just five seasons, he climbed to fifth in franchise history in points, fourth in assists, and second in triple-doubles. That’s not just impressive—that’s legendary. You don’t just pretend that never happened.

This whole situation is giving major deja vu. We’ve seen teams do this before. Remember when LeBron left Cleveland in 2010? The Cavs wiped him from everything. Same thing when KD left OKC. But if there’s one thing history has taught us, it’s that you can try to rewrite the past all you want—fans never forget.

Dirk’s words really hit home about how tough this whole thing has been, while the Mavericks’ weird PR move just made everything so much worse. It’s messy, it’s awkward, and it’s not getting any better anytime soon. But one thing’s for sure—Dallas might be trying to erase Luka Doncic, but Dirk’s making sure he knows he’s still got support.