Even as he prepared for Super Bowl 59, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback — and avowed Mavericks fan — had an incredulous reaction to the stunning deal that materialized over the weekend. His first post on X was simply “Wait what?” Followed by “I’m sick rn….”

With more time to process the deal and his feelings, Mahomes still said the trade stung a bit.

“It’s tough, you know, because I’ve watched (Doncic) since he was 18 years old,” Mahomes said at Super Bowl Opening Night in New Orleans on Monday. “I remember going to a practice and it was Dirk (Nowitzki) and Luka, and seeing his maturation and how great of a basketball he has became (sic), it’s been fun to watch.

“As a Dallas fan, it hurts me. But I’m happy for him that he’s going to be able to go out there and be in LA and try to achieve his dream of winning a championship. He did so much, not only for the basketball team but for the city of Dallas, so I’ll always be appreciative of those years. But I’m excited for the Mavericks moving forward and the guys they brought in.”