Luka Dončić found himself in the middle of another courtside moment Tuesday night, and it didn’t take long for NBA fans to pick sides.
During the Lakers’ 111–103 win over the Pelicans, Dončić drilled a three late in the game, then immediately turned toward a fan sitting courtside in New Orleans. The fan had been calling him “trash,” and Luka clearly heard it.
He didn’t let it slide.
“What’d you say, motherf***er? What the f*** did you say?” Dončić barked back, staring the fan down before heading back on defense.
The clip spread fast, and reactions were all over the place.
Some fans enjoyed the exchange a little too much. @SleeperHawks fired back, “Luka was so offended because he knows New Orleans fans know what trash looks like.”
Luka was so offended because he knows New Orleans fans know what trash looks like
— SleeperHawks (@SleeperHawks) January 7, 2026
Others were already thinking about the league office. @Hcp1Hcp wrote, “Fines are coming to Luka for the profanity.”
Then there were those who felt the heckling only fueled him. @chandrakantdto summed it up best: “Talk spicy to Luka and he start speaking fluent 40 point night.”
And sure enough, Dončić let his game do most of the talking. He finished with 30 points, 10 assists, and two rebounds, helping the Lakers close out the Pelicans. LeBron James matched him with 30 points of his own, along with eight rebounds and eight assists, as Los Angeles pulled away late.
“I really won’t ever understand them”: NBA fans recalled Luka Doncic’s trade on draft night
While Luka was busy torching New Orleans, another piece of NBA news sent fans spiraling back to one of the league’s most debated draft-night decisions.
On Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks shocked fans by trading Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, with CJ McCollum coming back the other way. As soon as the move went public, the internet did what it always does — it brought up 2018.
That was the night Atlanta selected Dončić third overall, only to trade him shortly after for Trae Young, who went fifth and landed with the Dallas Mavericks.
The reactions were blunt.
@Magiks posted, “I really won’t ever understand them fr.”
I really won’t ever understand them fr
— Magiks (@Magiks) January 8, 2026
@Shady_Justin didn’t hold back either, writing, “Hawks are not a serious franchise.”
And @bkfox5sports added what many fans have been saying for years: “Should have stuck w Luka. Everyone knows why they took Trae.”
Seven years later, with Luka still lighting up scoreboards and moments like Tuesday night becoming routine, that draft-night decision continues to follow Atlanta — no matter how much time passes.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
