Reputation is a long game.
Warren Buffet said it best: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.”
Well, the Mavericks just proved him right. They didn’t just trade Luka Dončić. They traded away trust. The trade itself? Questionable. Not my place to comment. But the real disaster started after.
The PR “Leaks”
Suddenly, the “𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴” began—whispers about Luka’s conditioning, attitude, weight. Let’s be real: this wasn’t an accident. It was a calculated PR move to shift blame. And it backfired—badly.
For years, Luka was 𝘵𝘩𝘦 guy. The face of the franchise. The heir to Dirk. The player fans believed in. If the Mavs wanted to move on, they could have done it with class. Instead? They made it personal.
Why Reputation Matters Beyond Basketball?
- Players talk. Future stars will think twice before trusting this front office.
- Fans don’t forget. You can’t sell loyalty as your brand, then throw it out the window.
- Winning won’t fix everything. A Kyrie-AD-KD superteam? Maybe. But trust doesn’t come back that easy.
This is why PR and Communications must work hand-in-hand with leadership. Because decisions don’t exist in a vacuum. Reputation isn’t just about 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 you do—it’s about 𝘩𝘰𝘸 you do it.
Reputation is slow to build and fast to burn. And right now, the Mavs are (inexplicably) learning this the hard way.
🔥 I would rate this pretty high on my list of “Worst self-inflicted reputation hits” I’ve ever seen—sports, business, or otherwise. How about you?
How Can Hooman Communications Help You Avoid These Kinds of Situations?
At Hooman Communications we believe that Corporate Communications are the backbone of your brand’s identity and we help you shape key storytelling pillars that reinforce your company’s values and vision, laying out a roadmap for long-term trust and consistency.
And if you do get in trouble (because, you know, life), we prepare you to handle it with confidence—read more about how we can help you in times of a PR crisis with our Crisis Communication approach.
Want to make sure your brand doesn’t end up in the comms hall of shame? Let’s talk.
