Getty Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks.
After Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic exploded onto the NBA scene in 2018-19, it was only a matter of time for the endorsements, shoe deals, apparel contracts to flood in. Quickly it became a question of where Doncic would sign, not if.
In 2019, Doncic put pen to paper on a deal with Jordan. Since then, the iconic shoe company has outfitted the Slovenian superstar. But it wouldn’t be until 2021 that Doncic would get his first signature shoe with Jordan: the Luka 1. The shoe made its debut during last year’s playoffs, with Doncic sporting them during Game Four of the Mavs’ first-round series against the Utah Jazz.
Doncic now is ready to follow up the Luka 1 with an updated version: the Luka 1 “Legend of 7.” The name is a tribute to Doncic’s number with the Mavs: 77. On September 22, Doncic uploaded a hype tape to accompany the announcement that his new shoes would go on the market the following day.
“The Luka 1 ‘Legend of 7’ drops tomorrow link in bio to get notified.,” tweeted Doncic.
The announcement comes after Doncic also released an update on another basketball-adjacent side hustle: his very own metahuman.
Doncic Becomes First Athlete to Have ‘Metahuman’
On September 21, Doncic announced the release of his virtual clone, Luk.AI. Doncic’s “metahuman” will live on social media and it developer Epic AI described it as “self-learning artificial intelligence capable of emotional, physical, and technological growth.”
It’s nice to meet you @Luk_AI or is it?
The hyper-realistic, virtual clone of Doncic will operate Doncic’s TikTok account to maximize the basketball superstar’s internet presence.
“The virtual version of Luka, created with Unreal Engine 5 technology, will be able to interact, exercise, play and converse with fans via TikTok, which will be his home. Epic says Luk.AI will become smarter and grow by interacting with the TikTok community. Fans will influence his skills, interests and hobbies, in a similar way that social interaction stimulates and shapes our own minds,” wrote Maya Jones of ESPN on September 22.
It remains to be seen whether Doncic’s doppelganger will use his powers for good or evil. Though in fairness, the real-life Doncic is no stranger to wreaking havoc on teams in his way, like the Phoenix Suns.
But the Mavericks might also want to explore signing Doncic’s clone to a ten-day contract. Dallas worked hard to revamp its roster after the departure of Jalen Brunson this summer. But some experts have already panned Dallas’ expected starting five.
Dallas Mavericks’ Starting Roster Labeled ‘Underwhelming’
The Dallas Mavericks expect to trot out a starting five of Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Tim Hardaway, Jr., and Javale McGee next season. It’s a roster that, outside of Doncic, lacks much in the way of star power.
It’s why Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report labeled Dallas’ starting five as “underwhelming” next season. Especially concerning is how the Mavs expect to bring Wood off the bench as a Sixth Man next season.
Wood and McGee were deemed the Mavs’ big splurges this summer — the team’s way of justifying an otherwise lackluster roster to Doncic. But if one of their summer centerpieces is coming off the bench, it’s hard to imagine just how much support he will provide to Doncic.
Doncic has proven before that he’s capable of leading a team with minimal help. But a huge part of that minimal help was Brunson, who is long gone. Can Dinwiddie be counted on in the same way? It remains to be seen, but last year’s returns weren’t always pretty.