RILEY RAINS / SPORTS EDITOR

On Feb. 1, Mavericks point-guard Luka Doncic received a shocking call. He learned the  news from his former manager Nico Harrison that the Dallas Mavericks had facilitated a trade to transfer him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis — news that the sports world did not take lightly.

Doncic  expressed his shock at the  trade  in    an   interview  with ESPN.

“You can imagine how surprised I was,” Doncic said. “I had to check if it was April first. I didn’t really believe it.”

Players and fans from across  the NBA were stunned to learn about the trade. 25-year-old Doncic was one of the biggest faces of the Mavericks. Generally, key franchise players do not get traded, as fans grow increasingly attached to their stars. Franchise players have revelaed a shakey  sense of security after such a shocking trade.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors  guard, in an interview with the NBA, assured fans that peace of mind in the NBA is hard to come by.  

“Especially with [Dallas] coming off the Finals, it’s a reminder that there are only a few in this league that can go to sleep with any type of confidence that you’ll still be there,” Curry said. “It’s kind of a very unique situation across the board.”

Curry was referring to the 2024 NBA Finals, where the Mavericks lost to the Celtics 106-88. Despite the loss, Doncic had an amazing season, averaging 29.2 PPG (points per game), 8.8 RPG (rebounds per game) and 5.6 APG (assists per game). With a season like that, many basketball fans found the trade unbelievable.  

Similar to Curry’s  astonishment, first-year Kate Ellsworth described the immediate reaction from her friend group, highlighting the shock and frustration that many Maverick fans are feeling.  

“The second [my friends and I] found out about the Luka trade my group chat started going crazy,” Ellsworth said. “My boyfriend said that the Mavericks were absolutely stupid for trading Luka. After all, he was their entire brand, and now he’s gone.”

At the   center of the trade, Doncic is grieving the loss of a team he truly loved while also looking forward to the possibility of a new start.

“It was a big shock,” Doncic said. “[Dallas] was home, so it was really hard moments for me … [But now] I get to play in the greatest club in the world, and I’m excited for this new journey.”

The “greatest club in the world” that he is referring to is the Lakers, a team known for its great success in the NBA and over 17 championships. The team also features legendary players like LeBron James. 

“It’s a dream come true, you know. I  always   looked up to [James],” Doncic said. “There are so many   things I could learn from him.”

NBA  players aren’t the only ones surprised. Some USD students, who enjoy a good NBA game, have  their own opinions about the ground-shattering trade. While the trade primarily affects the Lakers and Mavericks, fans of all different teams have strong stances. DC Ruth, a first-year student and Golden State Warriors fan, shared his reaction.

“I was surprised that someone with that caliber and age is getting traded,” Ruth said. “He is a franchise player.”

Kean Webb, USD first-year and men’s basketball starting center, reflected on his initial uncertainty about the trade. 

“My reaction to the trade, to be honest, was shocked,” Webb said. “I was definitely shocked and confused at first, but I think this is huge for the Lakers.”

While the basketball world is surprised, there is no doubt that the Doncic-James   duo will be one for the books. James himself was excited, though surprised, and contacted Doncic as soon as he found out.

“It still pretty much didn’t seem real until I saw Luka today, and I saw a clip of AD [Anthony Davis] at the Dallas shootaround,” James said after his game on Jan. 25. “That’s when it finally hit me, like, ‘Oh s***, this is real.’”

As a prominent leader and team captain of the Lakers, James is determined to make the transition as seamless and painless as possible for both his ex-teammate and his new point guard.

“[We can be] whatever we want it to be,” James said. “It won’t take long. I can play with anybody, and I think he can as well. So, we’ll work well together.”

Lakers fans are ecstatic about the trade, as the already successful team has gained a star point guard who will secure a strong season. Ruth is    optimistic   about the pairing.

“I believe that they will be a powerful    duo and  possibly take over  the NBA,” Ruth said. “Definitely gonna be a new look for the team.”

Webb also shares his insights on the new duo in light of the western conference’s place in the NBA.

“[The trade] makes the western conference an even bigger threat at being home advantage when it comes to the finals,” Webb said. “With a loaded western conference it will show immediately if the duo will work.” 

The home advantage game that Webb referred to is the NBA championship game this Feb. 16, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. 

While the trade sent shockwaves through the NBA, the anticipation surrounding Doncic’s new partnership with James continues to build. With both excitement and uncertainty surrounding the transition, all eyes will be on how this trade unfolds.

Maverick fans carrying a casket to mourn their loss of Luka Doncic. Photo courtesy of  @slamdunk.hk/Instagram