LeBron shares how Luka's second return to Dallas differed from first

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) walks off the court after the Lakers win over the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Lakers' LeBron James shares how Luka Doncic's second return to Dallas differed from first

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 1:12 PM ET

On Saturday, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic returned to the American Airlines Center for a second time since the Dallas Mavericks traded him in February 2025. This time, he shed no tears.

When he returned to Dallas for the first time since the stunning blockbuster trade in April 2025, Doncic cried during a tribute video. Lakers forward LeBron James then hugged him. He didn't need to console his teammate on Saturday night.

LeBron James discusses Luka Doncic's second return to Dallas

"The most important [thing] is just his comfort," James said following a 116-110 win over the Mavericks, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Obviously, when you get traded midseason, and he's spending his first seven or eight years here, it was a shock to everybody. Everybody who was involved, everybody who wasn't involved.

"The biggest thing this year is that he's more comfortable. ... Understanding this is his team. So, we're all rallying around him. We know it's an emotional and big game when you come back, and you play your former team. And he showed why [he is] who he is tonight."

“The most important [thing] is just his comfort. … This year, he’s just more comfortable … Understanding this is his team. So, we are all rallying around him … And he showed why [he is] who he is tonight, obviously” - LeBron on Luka’s return to DAL vs last year pic.twitter.com/3IJNaxIKfo
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 25, 2026

Doncic scored 33 points on an excellent 8-of-15 shooting from the field and went 3-of-8 from three-point range. He also had 11 assists and eight rebounds. The star guard even played defense, something he was often criticized for not doing throughout his seven-year tenure in Dallas.

"We counted after the game, he had six straight stops where they targeted him," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said, via McMenamin. "Just a fantastic job from him. Then [he] makes the game-sealing play with the charge on [Mavericks forward Naji] Marshall."

It wasn't all perfect. Doncic nearly walked into the wrong locker room. ESPN cameras spotted him pacing toward the Mavericks' tunnel at halftime before he realized he should head in the other direction.

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Aside from that, it's apparent the elite scorer is moving past the blockbuster trade and is focused on helping the Lakers (27-17), who are fifth in the Western Conference behind the Houston Rockets (27-16).

Lakers guard Austin Reaves — who's averaging 26.6 points per game — is expected to return from a calf injury soon. Pair a healthy Reaves with a Doncic who is no longer lamenting his time in Dallas, and that makes L.A. an even more dangerous team.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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