The Dallas Mavericks are in the middle of a dramatic identity shift. Just months after trading away their franchise superstar Luka Doncic, they’ve pinned their hopes on 18-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg. But as the team looks ahead, many fans are still looking back…angry, confused, and heartbroken by what they view as a franchise failing its biggest star.

In what should’ve been a celebratory moment for the Dallas Mavericks, the unveiling of their new era quickly spiraled into controversy. A showcase posted by Mavs Film Room, featuring a timeline of team success after 2018, made no mention of Luka Doncic. The omission struck deep with fans. “It’s like Luka never existed in Dallas,” one fan wrote, following it up with Doncic’s career statline: “450 games, 28.6/8.6/8.2.”

And then, Cooper Flagg spoke. “It’s an incredible place to live.” With that simple praise, the 18-year-old phenom may have unintentionally poured fuel on a raging fire. It was a brief but telling quote. The Maine-born forward seems already comfortable in his new surroundings.

But as he settles into his new role, he does so with the knowledge that he’s replacing not just any player, but a generational icon. This past week, what should’ve been a moment of hope, a fresh start for Dallas basketball, turned into a firestorm of fan backlash after the team seemingly erased Luka Doncic from their official narrative.

Averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists at Duke, sportsbooks have Flagg as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. But none of that erases what Luka Doncic meant to this franchise. Cooper Flagg enters the league as the most hyped white American prospect since Larry Bird. He’s already being billed as the face of the franchise, the centerpiece of Dallas’ next era. But the road he’s walking down? It’s paved with Luka Doncic’s highlights, heartbreaks, and heroics.

Fans outraged by the Mavs’ ignorance to Luka Doncic

Tensions boiled over when @MavsFilmRoom posted an image from the team’s showcase, highlighting Dallas’ journey from 2018 to the present. It even referenced the 2024 NBA Finals which Dallas lost, as well as the 2022 Western Conference Finals, in both of which Doncic played major roles. But nowhere did the display mention Luka Doncic.

That omission triggered an avalanche of angry responses. One user captured the moment perfectly with their post. “So disrespectful holy sh_t lol,” For six and a half seasons, Luka Doncic was the Mavericks. He gave Dallas swagger, identity, and international relevance after the Nowitzki era. July 6th was even officially declared Luka Doncic Day in Dallas County in 2021. 

Another fan chimed in, “I guess Dwight Powell and Jalen Brunson carried that team in 2022 WCF and Kyrie in 2024 NBA Finals”. Doncic played 450 games for the Mavericks and averaged 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. He had the city screaming “M-V-P!” in five different languages. So, when one user wrote, “So sad to see how he is being treated,” it was not an exaggeration. 

Meanwhile, some tried to make sense of it. “It’s probably because he still an active player. I’m sure when he retire they will have a bunch of Luka stuff,” wrote one netizen. But for many, it just didn’t sit right. After Doncic’s shocking trade to the Lakers, fans expected reverence, not revisionism. Former GM Donnie Nelson told Ekipa 24, “Everyone deserves a decent funeral…figurative or literal.”

Luka didn’t get one. Instead, Cooper Flagg arrived at a fanbase torn between heartbreak and hope.