Anthony Davis Was Excited to Play Alongside Luka Doncic Until Reality Hit Him

Former Lakers' center Anthony Davis could not believe he was being traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic.

Anthony Davis Was Excited to Play Alongside Luka Doncic Until Reality Hit Him

Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Anthony Davis initially believed he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks to play alongside Luka Doncic.
  • His excitement turned to disbelief when he learned he was actually traded for Doncic.
  • Family and friends were skeptical of the trade news until it was confirmed by major sports outlets.

Up until a little more than a year ago, Anthony Davis was working his way back into shape as he and LeBron James wanted to fight for another championship together.

The two were the core of the Los Angeles Lakers’ team, hoping they would rekindle the run that led the duo and their then-teammates to the 2020 championship.

But something changed in those few days leading up to the 2025 trade deadline that left not just the basketball world but anyone with even a slight inclination toward sports stunned.

The day was February 2nd, and fans were still coming to grips with the news that the Dallas Mavericks had traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. While speaking with Draymond Green on his podcast, Anthony Davis recalls how it went down.

Rich Paul called me on the phone and was like they just traded you to Dallas. I’m like, shut up… Luka is so cold, bro. We used to talk about Luka all the time. Be like imagine me with Luka, like oh my god… I was like, Luka man. If I ever got with Luka, oh my gosh.

Anthony Davis revealed

The big man revealed that he initially thought that he was going to the Dallas Mavericks to play with the Slovenian. His agent, Rich Paul, did not reveal during their original phone call who he was being traded for.

Nico Harrison’s call made it clear to Anthony Davis that he was being traded for Luka Doncic

Anthony Davis reiterated that he knew that if there was any player who could be a younger version of LeBron James, that was Luka Doncic.

That is why he knew that the then-Mavs superstar was the best playmaking guard he could play with and be successful. However, it was then-Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison‘s phone call that made it clear his time in Los Angeles was done.

Nico was calling me… ‘Hello, yeah, I told you I was going to get you one day, I wanted you.’

Anthony Davis said

The 33-year-old was still not convinced, as he felt that Harrison, his agent Rich Paul, and Lakers’ GM Rob Pelinka were pranking him. Davis is known to be a prankster, and felt that the trio was ganging up on him.

Pelinka informed him that he was being traded to the Mavericks for Luka Doncic, but somehow, due to the lack of confirmed third-party information, the 10-time All-Star was not convinced, and neither were those close to him.

Anthony Davis’ chef, wife, and father did not believe the trade news

When Rob Pelinka, Rich Paul, and Nico Harrison were talking to Anthony Davis, he was in his house. He then reveals how his conversations with his loved ones transpired.

Anthony Davis and his family
Anthony Davis and his family (Image via AD/IG)

My chef is right there in front of me. I’m like, ‘I got traded to the Mavs.’ He started laughing. I go to X, straight to Shams’ page, nothing… Joe Embiid calls me, ‘What is he calling me for?’… I go back to Shams’ page, and there it is. Run upstairs, tell my wife, ‘I just got traded to Dallas.’ (she replied) ‘Shut up.’

Anthony Davis recalled

Despite showing his wife Shams Charania‘s viral tweet, she was still in disbelief. Then, he recalled running down and out of his house and calling his father to break the news.

Since he also was not finding any information, he, too, did not believe his son. But then, SportsCenter broke the news to the public, and then it dawned on them that the Davises have to get ready to move to Dallas, Texas.

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