Luka Doncic's uncertain body language indicates feelings of betrayal and sadness, says expert

NBA star Luka Doncic looked out of sorts during Tuesday's introductory press conference with the Los Angeles Lakers at UCLA Health Training Center. The Slovenian superstar addressed the media following his blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks.

In an interview for WFAA-TV on Tuesday, body language expert Melinda Marcus broke down the press conference. According to Marcus, it is important to focus more on Doncic's actions instead of his words. She used the words "sadness" and "betrayed" to summarize some of the emotions Doncic may have felt based on his nonverbal communication.

"With him in particular, there was a real sadness, and we see that in his posture," Marcus said. (2:39)

Marcus reviewed Doncic's previous interviews to compare his demeanor and behavior and said there was a clear distinction.

Doncic spoke about his excitement and the opportunity to play with the Lakers, but Marcus pointed out a subtle shoulder shrug during the statement, which caught her eye.

"At that time, he was saying how he's really excited about the move and when he says that, he shows a shoulder shrug," Marcus said. "And that's saying that the unconsious is saying, 'I'm not so sure about this." (4:50)

Another noteworthy moment occurred when Doncic was holding up his new No. 77 Lakers jersey, a common practice when new players are introduced.

"When he was holding up the LA jersey, it saw so low that the reports in front of him actually blocked the view. And if you look at most players when they join a team, even senior players, they're carrying it up here, not down by their waist. And that, I think, is a subtle unconscious thing that I'm not really excited about this, " Marcus said. (5:45)

Marcus spoke about some noticeable stress signals during the All-Star guards exchange.

One reason for Doncic's peculiar behavior may have been the fact that he was not consulted on the trade.

"Luka even mentions how loyalty is a big deal for him," Marcus said. So he felt that he had that for the Mavericks, and he felt, I think, from what I heard, that he felt betrayed." (10:05)

Marcus is a nonverbal communications expert and has studied the subject for approximately five years. She worked with some of the most qualified people in the field and has a deep understanding of body language and nonverbal behavior.

Luka Doncic speaks about the moment Dallas traded him

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is introduced at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Imagn

On Saturday, one of the biggest trades in the NBA was announced, with Luka Doncic heading to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that saw Anthony Davis head to the Dallas Mavericks. The deal was put together by Mavs' GM Nico Harrison and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, and most NBA insiders had no idea what was happening behind the scenes.

Doncic was as surprised as anyone when he learned of the trade and spoke about the moment he realized what was taking place during his press conference on Tuesday.

"Everybody else was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was," Doncic said. "I was almost asleep, so when I got a call, I had to check it wasn’t April 1. I didn’t really believe it at first, and it was a big shock. It was hard moments for me. (Dallas) was home. So it was really hard, especially the first day."

Doncic was the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft and has spent seven years with the Mavericks.

Harrison's decision to move on from Doncic was perplexing and shocked the sports world. Doncic led the league in points per game and finished third in MVP voting last season. He also helped guide the Mavericks to the NBA finals seven months ago, their first finals appearance since 2011.