It's been more than a year since Nico Harrison sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick. While some Dallas Mavericks fans are still hurting over the shocking trade, the rest of the league moved on.
Doncic is doing well while wearing the Purple and Gold, averaging 32.8 points (leads the NBA), 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.5 steals on 47.3% shooting and 34.5% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Mavs are well into their Cooper Flagg era after shipping Davis to the Washington Wizards.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is still working on recovering after suffering an ACL tear in his left knee. He was playing well last season before his injury, averaging 24.7 points on 47.3% shooting, 4.8 boards, 4.6 dimes and 1.3 steals in his 50 starts.
While the two players may no longer be teammates, it's clear to fans who caught their interaction moments before the 2026 All-Star Game that no love was lost between the two stars.
Fans React After Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving Embrace Before 2026 All-Star Game
The NBA All-Star X account posted a video of the former Maverick talking to his ex-teammate and good friend. The loud audio at the Intuit Dome drowned out their conversation, but it was clear that they were still close as they ended their interaction with a hug.
Fans immediately raved about their interaction in the comments.
"Real ones," one fan commented.
Another pointed out Kyrie's shirt and enjoyed his cheekiness: "That Kyrie shirt... Bless this man [for real]," they wrote.
One commenter is impressed with the narrative created by the trade and the stars' subsequent interactions. They commented about how "NBA storylines never disappoint."
One fan was pushing Kai to make an offseason move that might make the Lakers overpowered: "He should have reunited with Bron."
A frustrated Mavs fan couldn't help but lash out at the organization for sending Luka away. "So sad that [this] duo couldn’t continue it. The [Mavs] are the worst!!" they commented.
A Kyrie fan gushed about their favorite player. "Miss this hooper, Mr. Irving," they wrote.
Doncic only played a few minutes for Team World during the 2026 All-Star Game as he was still recovering from a hamstring injury.