Postgame Interaction Between Luka Doncic, Patrick Mahomes Draws Attention

It was an emotional night in Dallas for Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, but that didn’t stop him from dominating in his return to the city and organization that drafted him in 2018.

After a heartfelt tribute video from the Mavericks brought tears to his eyes, Doncic, who admitted postgame that it was tough to lock in emotionally, found a way to channel his feelings into performance.

He erupted for 31 points in the first half alone, carrying that momentum into the second half, and finished with an astounding 45 points. The Lakers secured a 112-97 victory, clinching a top-six seed with just two games remaining in the regular season.

After the game, Doncic made his way through his former teammates and coaches, but one of the most talked-about moments came when he interacted with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Texas native Patrick Mahomes, who was sitting court side with his wife, Brittany.

Check out their interaction:

Mahomes was one of the first athletes to openly express his disappointment with the Mavericks’ trade of Doncic to the Lakers, has consistently voiced his displeasure about the deal.

“Wait, what?” Mahomes posted just moments after the trade went public. “I’m sick [right now].”

Mahomes has been a prime supporter of the Mavericks, frequently showing his loyalty to the team. After Doncic led them to the NBA Finals less than a year ago, Mahomes was seen at several postseason games, cheering on Dallas as they won the Western Conference.

This made trading Doncic before he even reached his prime feel all the more unimaginable and unpredictable to just about everybody, except Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) hugs Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Now, with the Lakers clinching a postseason spot and avoiding the play-in tournament, they are just one win away from securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. This would grant them home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which are set to begin next weekend.