Doncic said the emotions for his first game back started the night before; he had a hard time sleeping. When he arrived at the American Airlines Center, he said he was feeling a m

Most of the time in the modern NBA, when a star returns to his previous arena, he faces a hostile crowd because he chose to leave. That wasn't the case for Luka Dončić. By all accounts, the five-time All-NBA point guard planned to sign a super max extension with the Dallas Mavericks this offseason.

They brought signs declaring their Mavericks fandom dead and laid flowers near the statue of franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki. A few fans even held a mock funeral, carrying a coffin to the south plaza as Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” played in the background. Three dudes brought a coffin to American Airlines Center. They’re playing “See You Again.”