The Ryan Leak Podcast - Luka’s Gone, and I Need a Support Group

Episode Date: February 3, 2025

"Even if we win the next three championships, I'll never forgive them for trading Luka."I heard a fan say that, and it hit me—winning isn’t everything.This trade isn’t just about basketball. It’s a reminder that sometimes, success comes at a cost, followers don’t always equal impact, and the ripple effects of our decisions go deeper than we realize. We chase the “win,” but at what price?In this episode, I break down what this trade taught me—not just about sports, but about life. How do our decisions impact the people around us? Are we too focused on the outcome to see the relational consequences?This one isn’t just for basketball fans—it’s for anyone who's ever had to make a tough call and wondered if they truly counted the cost. Let’s talk it out. Because honestly, as a Dallas native, I still need a support group.

Welcome to the Ryan League podcast, my friends. Today we are recording with great trepidation. Today, we are going to dive into one of the most unexpected, one of the most controversial events, in my opinion, in recent sports history. My friends, we have to talk about the Luca Dodgers. My God, my God. Now here's the deal. If you're not a basketball fan, I want you to stick with me because this story isn't just about sports. It's about loyalty. It's about decisions. It's about how we handle change. This trade has rocked the sports world. I don't know about the world. I'm a firm believer that your world is not the world. So I don't want to believe that it's rocking everybody's world. but let me just tell you, this trade has shaken up the sports world so much in the last 24 hours

that people have forgotten that there is a Super Bowl in a week. This trade was so shocking. It has become, it's become like 9-11. People ask me the question. The last 24 hours, let me tell the number one question I've gotten. Ryan, where were you when the trade happened? What? But it's true. Where was I? When the trade happened? I was in a hotel room in West Palm Beach, Florida. Getting ready to speak for my friends at Christ Fellowship. I spoke there this morning.

I went to bed last night at 11.30 p.m. Eastern Standard time, thinking it was just another night. This morning, I woke up, getting ready to speak. I look at my phone. Notifications galore. I woke up to what felt like 78,000 text messages. I thought, oh no, somebody must have died. In fact, the last time I got this many text messages at the same time, Kobe Bryant had passed away.

Tragic. So I thought the same thing. Something tragic has happened. But no. Luke Dantrich. The Dallas Mavericks 25-year-old superstar had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Now, living in Dallas, let me tell you, I just landed a little bit of go. And just driving from the airport to my home, it feels like a great depression.

People are livid. Downtown Dallas looks like a scene from a movie. fans rioting in the streets. Nico Harrison, the Mavericks GM. I know Nico. Not well, but we've met. He has reportedly been getting death threats. I mentioned that to a friend.

I said, y'all notice this. Nico's getting death threats? My friend said, yeah, they're from me. I said, you got to chill. It's not that serious. This is not a life of death situation. It's a life of death situation for Nico. For those of you who don't follow basketball, let me break this down for you.

Luca Dodgich is 25 years old. He's already been named Rookie of the Year. He's already been named a five-time NBA All-Star. He is widely regarded as one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the league. Some say history. Last season, he averaged 32.4. a game, 8.6 rebounds and 8 assists. He can score from anywhere on the court. And no one of the other 29 NBA teams have figured out a way to guard Luca Dodger. Anthony Davis, on the other hand,

31. He is an eight-time All-Star, an NBA champion with the Lakers in 2020, and one of the best two-way players in the game, which means he can play offense and defense at a very high level. He averaged 25 points a game, 13 rebound, 2.3 blocks per game last season. While Luca is an offensive wizard, Anthony Davis is more of a dominant force on both sides of the ball. Now, let me put a little disclaimer in here. While I personally wouldn't have made this trait, I do understand it. I get what the Mavericks leadership was trying to do. They believe this move gives them the best chance to compete for a championship in the short term.

And while they did what they think is in the best interest of the team on the court, I don't think they considered the ramifications of what would come off the court. Because the thing about big decisions is this. They don't just affect numbers and stats. They affect relationships, trust, and the culture of an organization. To put this in perspective, this would be like trading Taylor Swift for Beyonce. Luca is like Taylor, undeniably talented, breaking records left and right, selling out arenas. Taylor's Erez tour grossed over a billion dollars.

I said that with the B. Beyonce, it's like A.D. She's a legend. She's still at the top of her game, but she plays a different role. Her Renaissance tour grossed $580 million, which is massive, unbelievable talent, no question about it. But it's just a different level. of impact. We're talking about two

amazing human beings. But just imagine, just like Swifties are fiercely loyal to Taylor, Dallas fans are fiercely loyal to Luca. Trading Luca is like telling Swifties that their queen is moving to a new record label overnight.

What would the reaction be chaos? Or if she was doing a new genre, it would be like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Taylor, where are you going? Now, some say, we're going with you. and sports some people in Dallas might be moving L.A., but most people aren't. They're not doing that.

And what's interesting to me is that there's this incredible amount of pressure in sports and in business, and I would even say in life, to do whatever it takes to win, to make the move, close the deal, and chase the next big thing.

And if I'm honest, I question if that's healthy. At what point does the drive to win come at too great of a cost? You see, I caution people who are sacrificing personal relationships for professional progress. You might win the championship, but at what cost? You might build the empire, but who will be left to celebrate with you? Now, here's the deal. I'm not saying that the Mavericks sacrifice personal relationships for professional.

professional progress. I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is I don't think that they fully calculated what this trade would mean for their organization and for their city. I can almost guarantee you that when Nico made this decision, along with others, by the way, he's not alone in that. Someone throw that out there. It takes a whole lot more than just one guy making a decision. But I guarantee you. When he was going back and forth with the Lakers about this trade, I don't think he thought through death threats. I don't think he saw that coming. I don't think he saw, he probably saw riots.

He probably anticipated riots, but I don't think he fully anticipated having to get a security detail for his own personal life. I don't think he saw that. And what that makes me think is, are the decisions that we're making that, well, we just don't see all of the ramifications that are beyond just that one decision? Because what's interesting to me is how emotional people are about this trait. I've spoken to several fans, and here's what I've heard. They said, even if the Mavericks win the next three NBA championships, I will never forgive Nico for what he did.

I say, y'all, I don't know if it's that serious. But here's what my friends are saying. They're saying we'd rather be loyal to a guy and lose than to move on and risk everything. That's a heavy sentiment. And it's not just about basketball. It's about loyalty. It's about values.

It's about the choices we make and the relationships we hold. Now, I've worked with the Mavericks organization before. I've got a lot of friends there. I'm not going to share any inside information on today's podcast, but I will say this. The past 24 hours have taught me a lot. Mostly, it's reminded me that winning isn't everything. Followers aren't everything. Downloads aren't everything. Promotions aren't everything. Bank accounts aren't everything.

Recognition isn't everything. Some people get what they desperately want. and lose what they desperately need. Think about it. We can get so focused on hitting the next milestone, closing the next deal, or making the next move that we forget the impact our decisions have on the people around us. Now, here's the deal.

I don't know if the Mavericks' ownership and leadership have regrets or will have regrets about this trade. Maybe they made the right call. Maybe they didn't. Only time will tell. but this podcast isn't about the mavericks. It's about you. For you, the next time you've got a big decision to make,

I want you to consider this. What's the relational cost here? How will this decision affect the people you work with, the people you love, the people who trust you? Because sometimes it's not about the win. It's about how you played the game. And lastly, to all my friends here in Dallas, I'll say this to you.

We'll heal together. We will be all right. I think. I know this is a tough pill to swallow, but the sun will rise again. At the end of the day, it is just a game. Anthony Davis,

I want to say this to you. Welcome to Texas. We're glad to have you. I feel bad for you. you to come in on the wake of the rioting. Nevertheless, I hope that you and your family, as you transition, have everything you need to compete at a high level, and I personally will welcome you with open arms. My friends, thanks for tuning in today, whether you're a basketball fan or not. I hope this story gets you thinking about the choices you're making and the legacy you're leaving

and understanding how your decisions go beyond just the decision. Thanks for listening to the Ryan League podcast. If today's episode inspired you, don't keep it to yourself, share it with a friend. And hey, it would mean the world to me if you take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support helps us reach even more people with these short and sweet nuggets of inspiration. Thanks for being a part of the journey, and I can't wait for the next episode.