Los Angeles Lakers MVP candidate Luka Dončić has had some interesting interactions with NBA fans sitting courtside in the past week.
During a game against the Sacramento Kings last Thursday, Dončić was involved with a fan getting removed from the front row after the fan threw a forceful chest pass at a referee. Dončić had another episode with Atlanta Hawks fans that were seated courtside to see his Lakers play at State Farm Arena on Monday night.
Dončić walked near the front row of the seating area on the sideline as a substitution was taking place to confront a Hawks fan.
“Y’all wish you would have had me, huh?” Dončić yelled toward a fan. “Y’all wish, huh?”
“No we don’t,” the Hawks fan replied. “I’ve never wanted you.”
“You capping like a motherf-cker,” the Slovenian-born Doncic then responded, using the slang term “capping” in place of “lying.”
The exchange between the Lakers forward and the Hawks fan is in reference to a trade between Atlanta and the Dallas Mavericks when Doncic was drafted in 2018. On draft night, the Hawks selected Dončić No. 3 overall before immediately sending him to Dallas in exchange for the No. 5 pick, which the Hawks used to take Trae Young.
The Hawks also received a future first-round pick in the Dončić trade, and they used it to select Cam Reddish No. 10 overall the following year. Reddish spent three seasons with the Hawks and last played for the Lakers during the 2024-25 season, but he is currently not on a NBA roster.
Young had some success with Hawks, reaching the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals and making the All-Star team four times before Atlanta traded him to the Washington Wizards last season.
However, Dončić has proven to be a better player than Young during their NBA careers. If the Hawks had a chance to do it over, they would likely have just kept Dončić instead of trading him away to Dallas.
Dončić has looked like the best player in the NBA over his first 10 games this season, averaging a NBA-best 39.3 points. He dropped 32 points with 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks in Monday’s 124-114 win over the Hawks.
If Dončić remains healthy and keeps producing anywhere close to his current pace, he is likely on the way to winning his first NBA MVP award this season. The Hawks would gladly take him they could — even if it is hard for Atlanta fans to admit out loud.
