Nowitzki, who was teammates with Doncic in his final season (and Doncic’s first) in the NBA, said in a radio appearance afterward that Doncic invited him to attend the Lakers debut and that Nowitzki felt he had to be there to support Doncic, who Nowitzki said was stunned by the trade.

Dallas Mavericks legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki will be in attendance Wednesday when the Mavs host the Los Angeles Lakers and welcome back Luka Dončić since the team traded the five-time All-NBA First Team player to L.A. on Feb. 1.

Wednesday night was an emotional night for Dallas Mavericks fans, as Luka Doncic returned to the American Airlines Center and torched the Mavs for 45 points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-97 win. The Dallas crowd welcomed their former superstar back with open arms while letting Nico Harrison know of their displeasure often.