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The Dallas Mavericks are under fire from their own fanbase after releasing - and quickly deleting - a hype video that appeared to erase Luka Doncic from franchise history.
The now-viral clip, meant to energize fans for the season, instead sparked outrage when viewers noticed several players had been blurred out, fueling speculation that the team was trying to wipe away any memory of their former superstar following his blockbuster trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The controversy escalated so quickly that Dorrough Music, the local Dallas rapper who wrote and performed the song for the video, was forced to issue an apology.
A disrespect towards Luka?
In a social media statement, Dorrough insisted there was never any intent to disrespect or erase Doncic, clarifying that the blurred-out players were actually Quentin Grimes and Maxi Kleber-both recently traded by the Mavericks.
"As a lifelong Mavericks fan and someone who takes great pride in the game of basketball, I would never be part of anything intended to remove, censor, or disrespect Luka Doncic," Dorrough explained. "Luka is, and always will be, a part of Mavericks history. I have nothing but respect for him and everything he has done for this franchise."
It was all a misunderstanding
Despite the clarification, Mavericks fans are still fuming. The sting of losing Doncic to the Lakers is fresh, and many feel the team has been trying to downplay his legacy ever since the shocking trade. Some are even directing their frustration at general manager Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the deal.
While local outlet WFAA confirmed that Grimes and Kleber were the ones blurred out-not Doncic-the video's deletion only fueled conspiracy theories among heartbroken fans. The damage has been done, and the question remains: Is this just a poorly executed marketing blunder, or is Dallas really trying to erase its former superstar from the team's history?