Frustration Mounts in Dallas as Mavs Front Office Refuse to Let Luka Doncic Quietly Fade Away

Six months after the Mavericks shocked the league by sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in a three-team blockbuster, the aftershocks are still being felt in Dallas. Fans protested outside American Airlines Center when the deal went down, furious that the team had traded away a 25-year-old MVP candidate for a 31-year-old with a history of injuries. General manager Nico Harrison defended the move by saying, “We think defense wins championships and we’re bringing in one of the best two-way players in the league”. Yet the reaction was swift and harsh, with analysts labeling it one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. When a gaming company lit a billboard of Luka Doncic at the very same spot where the protests against Nico Harrison erupted, it spelled ‘trouble’ for the Mavericks.

This saga began when Blizzard Entertainment launched a new Overwatch 2 campaign featuring Luka Doncic, an avid and highly skilled player who ranks among the game’s top competitors. Digital billboards promoting the partnership appeared around Dallas, including one strategically placed on Nowitzki Way, directly beside the Mavericks’ arena and iconic Dirk Nowitzki statue. The ad featured Luka Doncic’s face alongside the game’s cowboy character with the tagline “Cowboys never die,” a clever nod to both his gaming prowess and his adopted Texas identity.

Locked on Mavericks took to their podcast and highlighted where the Mavericks’ front office stumbled badly. Instead of ignoring the harmless promotional campaign, someone within the organization reportedly requested the billboard’s removal. “They just couldn’t let it die… It was just another story of like, ‘Oh my gosh, can they just let it be? Like, take the L with the billboard out in front.’” noted Locked On Mavericks host Nick Angstadt. His co-host Isaac Harris echoed the sentiment, adding “It’s another small thing in the PR aftermath of the trade of the Mavs… This is so petty.“ This attempt to control the narrative backfired spectacularly, drawing more attention to the very presence they hoped to erase.

The failed effort to remove the advertisement represents a broader pattern of missteps in Dallas’s post-trade communication strategy. From editing franchise highlight reels to downplay Doncic’s contributions to this latest billboard controversy, the organization appears determined to surgically remove his legacy rather than celebrate it. This approach has only fueled fan frustration and media criticism, keeping the story alive instead of allowing it to fade naturally as the team had hoped.

A random offseason advertisement is hardly headline news, yet the Mavericks brought attention to it by objecting. USA Today and CBS Sports both noted that the team essentially created its own PR headache by reacting. Harris put it simply: “If you’re Dallas, you’ve got to let time be the only thing that makes people stop talking about Luka. Time and winning. No matter what you do, this just delays everything, makes people more frustrated”. That advice seems obvious, yet Dallas continues to take the opposite path.

It is not just fans who are annoyed. Media voices have repeatedly called the moves unnecessary and distracting. The sense is that Dallas could cool tempers by embracing the obvious message: Doncic was an important part of the franchise, his era ended, and now it is about looking forward. Instead, by trying to push his image away, the Mavericks end up keeping the story alive. The billboard episode is the latest reminder of how thin the line is between a clean break and a messy one. And the team has chosen the messy route again. Which brings us to why this particular advertisement is sparking so much discussion.

Origin of the debate: Blizzard’s homage to the Cowboy

The entire controversy stems from a genuine celebration of Doncic’s unique interests beyond basketball. Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch 2 campaign, valued at $225 million, perfectly merged his two worlds: elite athletics and competitive gaming. The billboard’s “Cowboys never die” slogan brilliantly connected Doncic’s well-documented love for Dallas’s football team with the game’s lore, creating a authentic tribute rather than a deliberate provocation.

Doncic’s gaming credentials are seriously impressive, making him an ideal partner for the campaign. He’s achieved Grandmaster status in Overwatch 2 and ranks among the top 500 players in North America, accomplishments he’s openly shared with fans. His participation in the event includes special in-game content like a “Luka Dunkcic” Lúcio skin and a golden basketball weapon charm, showing Blizzard’s commitment to honoring his specific connection to both gaming and basketball.

The campaign’s timing in Poland during EuroBasket demonstrated Doncic’s global reach far beyond Dallas, making the Mavericks’ localized objection seem particularly small-minded. Blizzard wasn’t making a statement about the trade; they were celebrating an athlete-gamer whose influence transcends traditional sports boundaries. This genuine homage accidentally highlighted the stark contrast between how the Lakers embrace their new star and how Dallas continues to struggle with his ghost.