Luka Doncic is set to join the Los Angeles Lakers in an earth-shattering trade.
The Slovenian NBA star is heading west to California, while Anthony Davis will go in the other direction to join the Dallas Mavericks.
News of the shock deal was announced late on Saturday (February 1) and sent the basketball world into meltdown.
Not only was Doncic seen as almost untouchable in Dallas, this is also the first time that two reigning All-NBA players have been traded for each other midseason, according to ESPN.
Luka ‘Magic’ will now suit up for the Lakers, who will be getting one of the NBA’s top stars.
Doncic was a runner-up in last season’s MVP race and was named to his fifth consecutive All-NBA First Team after averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds.
When fully fit, he is about as dominant as it gets on the court.
But unbeknownst to many, he’s just as dominant in an entirely different arena.
The Slovenian hooper is an avid gamer and is top-500 in the world in the Overwatch 2 video game.
Overwatch 2 is a team-based shooter known for its diverse range of characters, dynamic gameplay and 5×5 format.
Doncic is a Tank in the game, meaning he’s the focal point of a team’s strategy and responsible for pressing forward and making space for his teammates – not unlike his role with the Mavs.
The Dallas star was previously classed as a Grandmaster – for those just beneath the top-500 – and posted a picture of his elite Tank rank to social media.
What’s most impressive is that Luka managed to achieve the top-500 status while playing on a laptop – where gameplay is generally more difficult.
Doncic has been spotted in Grandmaster lobbies before.
In 2023, Overwatch streamer ‘m0xy’ posted a video of himself playing with Doncic, who goes by the name ‘Donatello’ in-game.
Doncic could be heard asking mOxy if he was the actual Overwatch streamer he enjoys watching.
Another player then asks Doncic/’Donatelo’ what he does as a hobby.
“I play basketball,” he responds.
The player asks Luka if he plays in a gym or with an actual team, which he bluntly replies, “Dallas Mavericks.”
m0xyy quizzes Doncic/’Donatello’ on when his birthday is and he immediately responds, “28 February.”
“I Googled that and you’re right,” the streamer says.
“I know, I’m him,” Doncic remarked.
While Doncic can dominate both on the basketball court and in Overwatch, he has struggled with injuries this season.
The 25-year-old hasn’t played for the Mavs since Christmas Day, and is said to be targeting a return to action in the next fortnight.
According to reports, he could make his Lakers debut before the February 16 All-Star game.