"Centel’d in Portuguese is CENTELIZADOS" - NBA fans in shambles after ESPN Brazil allegedly falls for fake Luka Doncic news

Dallas Mavericks fans are still in disbelief after the team traded longtime star and fan favorite Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers earlier this month. Many have called for the firing of GM Nico Harrison and for the franchise to be sold to a new owner. The backlash has been so bad that the Mavericks reportedly refunded some season-ticket holders who disagreed with the controversial decision.

On Friday, NBACentel, a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) jumped on the situation. The troll account wrote that the Mavericks are banning Doncic jerseys in Dallas “as a way to move forward from him.”

ESPN Brazil commentators fell for the joke and shared the fake report on TV during the LA Lakers’ game on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets.

Fans reacted to the commentary:

“centel’d in portuguese is CENTELIZADOS btw”

A Brazilian said:

“My country got centeld are we for f**king real?”

@kyriecenterig added:

“Centel legacy has been cemented”

One fan continued:

“Not gonna sit here and act like I've NEVER been Centel'd but of all things they believe this ?”

Another fan reacted:

“The fact that Neymar might’ve seen this.”

Many have fallen for NBACentel jokes over the years. Athletes, celebrities and even diehard fans have taken the bait before.

The Dallas Mavericks continue to let fans watch home games while wearing old Luka Doncic jerseys. They also let in people who wear Doncic’s new LA Lakers threads.

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The Dallas Mavericks are competing without Luka Doncic

Losing Luka Doncic was a blow many in Dallas are still reeling from. Anthony Davis’ injury after debuting for the Mavericks only added to their misery. Still, the team is competing in the jostling for playoff positioning.

The Mavs have won five of their last six games, including three straight. Kyrie Irving has carried the team. The supporting cast has also stepped up amid the slew of injuries. Max Christie, the seemingly overlooked part in the Davis trade, has exceeded expectations. He has given the Mavs a big boost off the bench.

Leading into their game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, they are eighth in the Western Conference with a 31-26 record.