Kyrie Irving Recalls Luka Dončić’s Ruthless Three-Minute Dallas Mavericks Practice Takeover
NBA fans know Luka Dončić as a walking highlight reel. But according to Kyrie Irving, one of Dončić’s most jaw-dropping performances didn’t happen under arena lights; it happened at practice.
During a recent Twitch stream, Irving described the moment in disbelief: “I witnessed him give somebody 24 points in three minutes.”
The story wasn’t new to Mavericks reporters, but hearing Irving confirm it added fuel to a growing legend.
Grant Williams Got the Smoke from Luka Dončić
Irving referenced an unnamed teammate who was already named by Mavericks assistant GM Michael Finley last year: Grant Williams.
Williams joined Dallas last summer via sign-and-trade from the Boston Celtics. According to Finley, Williams had been talking trash during a scrimmage, trying to get under Dončić’s skin.
“A player in our team, I won’t call his name out, but it was Grant Williams, who decided he wanted to get under Luka’s skin. He thought Luka didn’t come that day ready to practice,” Finley said, “To make a long story short, we had a scrimmage going, and he’s talking trash to Luka up and down the court. So, finally, Luka says, ‘Okay.’ And I tell you, Luka went on a 26-6 run by himself. You can ask anybody. I’m not exaggerating.”
Multiple witnesses backed up the account. No words. No celebration. Just surgical dominance—deep threes, post fades, floaters. It ended with coaches calling the scrimmage early.
Williams didn’t last long in Dallas. He was traded midseason to Charlotte, and that practice session is remembered less as a motivational moment and more as a cautionary tale: don’t test Dončić.
New Chapters in Dallas and L.A.
Since then, everything has shifted. Dončić, in his seventh season in Dallas, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster three-team deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. Dončić is expected to sign a massive extension with L.A., setting him up as the franchise centerpiece moving forward.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2024–25 season. Despite the injury, Dallas extended him on a three-year, $119 million deal, confident he can help lead a retooled roster featuring Davis and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. He’s expected back early in 2026.
But even as both stars move into new phases, that three-minute explosion lives on, an untelevised masterpiece of what happens when a superstar flips the switch.
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