Luka Doncic’s emotions were on display in his Mavs return — so was his dominance

 As the Dallas Mavericks’ video tribute for Luka Doncic began, he gave a hand signal. 

He needed a towel.

The video showed Doncic being selected as the third overall pick in the 2018 draft by Atlanta, before being traded that day to Dallas. It showed him winning Rookie of the Year. It showed his amazing buzzer-beaters. His sense of humor. It showed his rise to becoming a five-time All-NBA player, who led his team to the Finals last season for the first time since 2011. It showed glimpses of his life over the last 6 1/2 years, a life that he had no idea was about to come to an end.  

Doncic’s eyes welled up. He buried his face into the towel. He wiped his tears. It was one of the most profound displays of emotions from an active player in recent memory. 

There was something beautiful about it. 

Often, sports fandom is a one-sided endeavor. Fans pour out their hearts, celebrating their team’s players. But that love often is unrequited. In a league where players are quick to demand trades, form super teams or go to the highest bidder, Doncic’s love for Dallas stands out.  

And so does the way Dallas did him dirty.

Doncic came to Dallas when he was 18. He grew up there. He had no plans of leaving. But just over two months ago, the Mavericks broke every unwritten rule by trading a Top 3 player in his prime (then 25 years old) for the 32-year-old Anthony Davis.

This love story was mutual — and Doncic was the one who was unceremoniously dumped with a middle-of-the-night phone call. 

His heartbreak was on display from the moment he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1. And it was highlighted Wednesday, when his emotions were still raw long after the initial shock had subsided.  

Doncic was drying his tears until the moment his name was called during the starting lineups. He gritted his teeth and steeled himself to play in his first game in Dallas since he received the news that his life had been upended. 

In the first half, he scored 31 points in 18 minutes on 11-for-16 shooting (6-for-8 from 3). He finished with a season-high tying 45 points on 16-for-28 shooting (7-for-10 from deep), eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in the Lakers’ 112-97 win.

Out of shape? Unserious?  

He made all of the criticisms that leaked from Dallas’ camp about him since the trade seem like libel. Like drivel. Like lunacy.

Throughout the game, Mavericks fans cheered whenever Doncic touched the ball. Multiple times, they showed their anger at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, chanting, “Fire Ni-Co.” Fans wore Doncic’s No. 77 jersey. They brought signs honoring him. 

Doncic responded by putting on a show. There were step-back 3s, dribble-drives to the basket, his signature changing of pace to free himself from multiple defenders. 

It left everyone wondering how the Mavericks could’ve given him up. But more than anything, it was his emotions that drove that point home. 

Doncic acknowledged he didn’t get much sleep before playing the Mavericks. When he arrived at the arena, he said he felt “happy and angry.” And after watching the tribute video, he didn’t know if he could pull himself together to take the court. 

“I don’t know how I did it because when I was watching that video, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m playing this game,'” Doncic said in his walk-off video with ESPN. 

It was a moment of deep vulnerability. It made Doncic, who is known to be reserved with the media, infinitely more likable. He let his guard down. He showed how much this meant to him. And in the sports world where machismo reigns superior, his care level was beyond noteworthy, it was simply cool.  

Doncic’s openness was in stark contrast to Anthony Davis’ approach heading into his first game against his former Lakers team. Davis claimed there were “no emotions.” Doncic didn’t pretend. And he didn’t hold back. 

In many ways, this whole thing still seems unreal. 

The Lakers are now viewed as championship contenders, sitting in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 49-31. Meanwhile, the injury-ravaged Mavericks are in 10th place with a record of 38-42, clawing to even have a chance to participate in the play-in tournament. 

What were the Mavericks thinking? Did they really let Doncic walk? So much for this being a win-now move, at least for this year. 

For Mavericks fans, this moment was a celebration of the player they had idolized for more than half-a-decade. 

And for Doncic, it was some much-needed closure. 

“Talking about closure, sometimes it’s hard because I spent a lot of time here,” Doncic said. “Great moments. But it’s getting more and more [normal]. I got to focus on different things now.”

Doncic was subbed out of the game after scoring his 45th point with 1:34 left. He clapped, pumped his arms and waved at the crowd, which honored him with a standing ovation. 

Even Doncic’s teammates took part in the celebration, egging on the crowd and chanting “Lu-ka.” It was an important moment not just for Doncic to move forward, but for him to realize that his new teammates could stand behind him as much as his old ones had. 

“They all had my back,” Doncic said. “That’s what we talked about before the game. And they all had my back, from coaches to players. We’re trying to build something special here, and that was really, really nice to see.”

For Doncic, it was a bittersweet night in which he both grieved his past and embraced his future. 

While his eyes glistened with tears, it drove home just how much his time in Dallas meant to him. 

Not only did the Mavericks lose a basketball prodigy, but they lost someone who cared deeply.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more