Mavs Superfan Ralph Barbosa On Luka Doncic Trade To Lakers: 'It's Like Your Chick Starts Banging Your Worst Enemy'

Dallas Mavericks superfan Ralph Barbosa did not hold back when sharing his feelings about Luka Doncic’s shocking trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. Appearing on Club Shay Shay, the comedian and lifelong Mavs supporter painted a vivid, emotional picture of what the move felt like from a fan’s perspective, and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

"A bunch of cuss words. A bunch of bad stuff about the new owner. And tears—because he didn’t even want to go. It’s like when your mom has a new boyfriend you actually like, and then she dumps him or cheats on him." 

"Like, bro, we finally had one. He wanted to be here. Yeah, you ran him off. And to make it worse, I don’t even like the Lakers. Of all the teams, the Lakers. Horrible. That’s like if your girl starts hooking up with your worst enemy. That just hurt."

For Barbosa and many in Dallas, Luka wasn’t just a superstar; he was their superstar. Drafted in 2018, Doncic quickly became the face of the franchise, leading the Mavericks to multiple playoff runs and giving the fan base hope of a new championship era. His passion on the court and connection with the city made him beloved in a way few players ever achieve. 

To see him leave for a team as historically disliked in Dallas as the Lakers cuts deeper than just losing an MVP-caliber player.

The analogy struck a chord with fans. For decades, the Lakers have represented a symbol of big-market glamour and star power that often comes at the expense of small- and mid-market teams like Dallas. Seeing Doncic in purple and gold is more than just a uniform change for many Mavs fans, it feels like a betrayal of basketball fate itself.

The trade stunned the NBA world last season, with the Mavericks sending Doncic to Los Angeles in a blockbuster move that paired him alongside LeBron James.

For Barbosa, the most painful part is the belief that Luka truly wanted to spend his career in Dallas and that the team still found a way to push him out.

In Los Angeles, the future is suddenly bright. Doncic signed an extension with the Lakers shortly after arriving, locking in his long-term commitment and signaling that the Lakers’ championship window could remain open well beyond LeBron’s eventual retirement. 

Alongside Austin Reaves, the Lakers now have the kind of elite playmaking and scoring that could make them the Western Conference’s team to beat for years.

For Dallas, however, the road ahead is still bright. They have Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and with the addition of Cooper Flagg as the number one pick, they’re also set for the future. This is a roster just one season removed from a trip to the NBA Finals in 2024. 

Still, it won’t feature that beloved Slovenian beast who was the heart and soul of the team.