“Oh s**t” - Luka Doncic hilariously reacts to overcrowded press room in Dallas return

Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was the biggest NBA story on Wednesday. Not only was the arena packed as fans came in to witness Doncic’s first game at the American Airlines Center since being traded, but the visitors' press conference room was also overflooded with media personnel.

According to Mavericks beat reporter Noah Weber, it was the most crowded the room has ever been. Dončić, overwhelmed by the situation in the room, appeared to be in disbelief.

“Oh s**t,” Doncic was left stunned.

It was an emotional night for the Slovenian star, whose eyes were filled with tears even before tipoff. During player introductions, the Mavericks honored their former member with a heartfelt tribute video. Doncic admitted afterward that the video nearly left him unable to play.

But Luka appeared to stay composed once the game began. Doncic went off for 45 points—matching his highest-scoring performance in the Purple & Gold uniform— along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a dominant 112-97 win over his former team.

Luka Doncic reacts to the Mavericks’ tribute video

The Dallas Mavericks compiled a nearly 2-minute and 15-second tribute video celebrating some of the most memorable moments from Luka Doncic’s seven-year stint in Texas.

In the postgame interview, the 26-year-old shared that the clutch three-pointer he hit in Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves stood out to him the most.

“All of it for sure. But I would probably say the shot in the Conference Finals. We were always the underdog in every series. The way we came together and played together. There was just another level, and everybody was locked in,” Luka Doncic revealed.

His game-winning three gave Dallas a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Throughout the series, Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists.

His stellar display led the Mavericks to a 4-1 series victory over Minnesota and secured their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2011, marking just the third Finals appearance in franchise history.