Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić was so upset he was being traded by the Dallas Mavericks in February that he threw and cracked his phone upon hearing the news, he revealed in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
“It still works,” he smiled during the interview, which was broadcast on Friday. “I was actually in the bed. My TV wasn’t working so I was on the iPad watching a movie, about to go to sleep.
“First thing I said (when I heard the news), probably like three times: ‘Is this April 1?’”
The Slovenian described his initial emotions as “sadness mostly,” adding, “I was still in shock, like crazy shock. I felt like my heart was broken, honestly.”
In a media session this week, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison reportedly reiterated his belief that “defense wins championships,” implying that he felt Dončić was not able to offer enough in that regard.
Harrison has previously defended the trade in a similar way, saying in a news conference in February that it improved the team’s defense and also got ahead of a potentially messy contract negotiation.
“This is sad, the way he’s talking right now,” Dončić responded in the ESPN interview. “I never say anything bad about him, and I just want to move on. The fans, my ex-teammates, I’ll always keep at heart. It’s time for me to move on from there.”
The five-time All-Star also admitted that the concerns over his diet while with the Mavs, as reported by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, were “painful,” but added that “it depends how you take it. Mostly it came from Dallas, you know, so I just didn’t want to talk back.”
After a relatively slow start by his lofty standards, Dončić has come alive in the Purple and Gold and matched a season-best 45 points on an emotional return to Dallas earlier this month.
The 26-year-old rated that game – in which he received a standing ovation from fans at American Airlines Center having also put up eight rebounds, six assists and four steals – as the best in his career so far.
“I would say top one, just because it was so special,” he explained. “With the fans, with teammates just being there, it was something I’ve never seen in my life. It was just special, the love between me and the fans.”
The Lakers enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and will begin the first round at home against No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
