What stage of grief are you at? It's been three days (well, approximately 86 hours, but who's counting?) since the sports world was rocked with the most surprising trade in basketball history: Mavericks fan favorite Luka Dončić, one of the best basket players on Earth, is now a Los Angeles Laker. Luka might be gone, but his steak lives on at Nick & Sam's.
Nick & Sam's, of course, is the legendary Dallas steakhouse founded by famed restaurateur Phil Romano and spearheaded by Executive Chef Samir Dhurandhar. A long-time Plano resident, Dhurandhar also authored the memoir Raising the Steaks: My Journey to Creating the Best Steakhouse in the World and has even written for Local Profile magazine.
The restaurant is a mainstay for date nights, anniversaries, business deals and a haunt for pro athletes. The great Dirk Nowitzki is a regular and has his own steak, "The Dirk," a 41 oz. tenderloin, dry-aged for 41 days in honor of Nowitzki's Mavs jersey number. Dončić was the heir to Nowitzki's throne, and fittingly, Nick & Sam's created a steak, "The Luka," a 77-ounce dry-aged New York strip steak in honor of his jersey number.
Why The Luka Will Stay On Nick & Sam’s Menu
“In my 25-plus year career, I feel blessed to say I have met some interesting and incredible people who have walked through the doors of Nick & Sam’s. But it’s not often that you come across someone as special as Luka Dončić," Dhurandhar wrote on Nick & Sam's official Instagram.
"Luka is one of the most caring, warm and funniest guys I know. His love for Dallas shined through with every conversation and game," he continued. "That’s why we created ‘The Luka’ — a dish we will continue to serve because his impact isn’t defined by his profession but by his character."
Dhurandhar added that he will continue to cheer on his friend Dončić and looks forward to seeing him again. And yes, fans would perfect that Luka, the person, stays in Dallas. Even as he leaves, Nick & Sam's decision to keep him on the menu, shows just how much Dončić has meant.
Do We Know Why Luka Was Traded
In the deal, the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, a ten time All- Star one of the best in the league, Max Christie, an excellent shooting guard, and a 2029 first-round draft pick from the Lakers. Both players will add to the team, but the Mavs seemed set on building a franchise around Dončić. The ensuing trade, though, was done in secret — Dončić wasn't shopped around to other teams — perhaps due to fears of fan blowback. Even minority stakeholder Mark Cuban, who sold the team's majority stake in 2023 to the Adelson and Dumont families, says he wasn't involved in the deal. (Cuban once famously said that he would sooner divorce his wife than trade Dončić.)
It was hard to imagine why such a great player, ranked the second best in the NBA, would be traded. Yes, there are rumblings about Dončić's weight and conditioning, or that the trade decision was front office execs reasserting power. Whatever the reason, ESPN called the trade "unfathomable."
What Luka Meant To Mavericks Fans
There's a reason why fans gathered and created a makeshift memorial at the American Airlines Center, why they took to social media to express shock and why they're experiencing a sense of loss. Dončić wasn't only one of the best players, if not the best, of his generation. There was pride that a world-class, international superstar played for the local team. And he wanted to be here.
It wasn't always like that. If you're from here and of a certain age, being a Mavericks fan wasn't easy. Before Mark Cuban bought the team in 2000 and before Nowitzki brought home the championship in 2011, times were bleak. In the 1992-93 season, for example, the team's record was 11 wins and 71 losses — one of the worst seasons in NBA history. Ouch.
They weren’t good, sure, but fans continued to support the Mavs. This was our team. As a kid, I remember going to see them at Reunion Arena, the stadium that predated the American Airlines Center. I remember Mavs player Derek Harper coming to my elementary school to show us basketball tips and sign autographs. I remember standing in line at Nick's Sports Cards to meet Roy Tarpley, the former first-round pick who seemed so promising. There were years of hopelessness, heartbreak and letdowns.
That changed under Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs got good, real good, and then, great. And Luka, who took the team to the NBA Finals last season, was poised to continue this legacy. And yet, Dončić meant so much more than a phenomenal player. Arriving as a fresh-faced rookie from Slovenia, we saw him come of age here. He became part of the community. He put down roots. He became a Texan. That was the real Luka magic.
In the wake of this week’s trade, Frisco-based YouTubers Dude Perfect, who did a video with Dončić in 2022, created this fitting tribute:
The Mavericks still might be great this season. They still could win it all. Another championship trophy, the second in franchise history. Can you imagine? And nothing could be more bittersweet.
To try “The Luka” yourself, make reservations at Nick & Sam’s here.
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