There are moments in Los Angeles when basketball feels less like a game and more like a living, breathing fraternity. Wednesday night was one of them.
Luka Dončić hosted his “77x.world” event in L.A., a sleek celebration of his growing global brand, stitched together with fashion, hoops culture and that unmistakable No. 77 swagger.
Fans were given a meet and greet, the room was full of influencers and executives and then a couple familiar faces walked in.
First it was Dončić’s old teammate with the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki.
The first 7-footer to win the NBA Three-point contest crown came to show his support for the Slovenian star. When Dončić spotted him, his smile said everything. The mentor showing up, unprompted, because that’s what legends do.
Nowitzki has always played the long game with Luka — part big brother, part wisecracking uncle. After the Lakers beat the Mavericks back in November. Dirk famously teased that Luka wasn’t “good enough” for the postgame interview because Austin Reaves had just dropped 38. The joke landed because the bond is real. It’s layered in trust, in banners, in shared history.
And speaking of Reaves, he was there too! Dončić’s current co-star was spotted earlier in the evening at a South Bay Lakers game, but he also came to Luka’s factory to support his teammate. Reaves and Dončić like to needle each other, hijack interviews, and toss around the word “friend” like it’s a secret handshake.
One thing is for a certain. On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, the NBA brotherhood was on full display.
