Frances Tiafoe is one of the biggest basketball fans on the ATP Tour. The American star is often spotted wearing NBA jerseys and has built friendships with some of the league’s biggest names. It was only natural that Big Foe was shocked when he heard about the biggest trade news in the NBA yesterday, and that too about one of his favorite teams. He learned the shocking news of Dallas Maverick’s Luka Doncic leaving and joining the Los Angeles Lakers. How fitting that he is currently in Dallas for the Dallas Open.! So, how did the Big Foe react?
Tiafoe took to his Instagram story to express his feelings. He reshared Doncic’s post announcing his departure from the Dallas Mavericks, with the caption, “77 .” That’s Doncic’s iconic jersey number, which he will continue to wear with the Lakers.
But Tiafoe’s initial reaction? Complete shock. Speaking to the ATP Tour, he said, “I’m at dinner and my man hit me, ‘Yo, you see Luka?’ And I’m like, ‘What do you mean did I see Luka? He’s hurt. Nah man, he just got traded.’”
“So I go straight to IG, everybody hit me. Group chats, everybody hit me like, ‘Yo, Luka, you see Luka?’ I didn’t know what to think. I’m with these guys at dinner. I was like, ‘Nah, this can’t be real. You ain’t going to just have the dude take you to the Finals and he’s all-NBA every year, first [team], All-Star.’”
Luka to LA?!@FTiafoe breaks it down @DALOpenTennis | #DALOpen pic.twitter.com/4FfgxDQLJA
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 2, 2025
The former US Open semifinalist’s love for basketball and especially the Mavericks runs deep. He was once even spotted sporting Luka’s 77 jersey during his tennis practice. A gesture even Doncic himself appreciated.
Beyond being a super fan, Tiafoe has had his own moments on the basketball court. Did you know he even played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game?
Frances Tiafoe plays at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
In February 2023, Frances Tiafoe proved his skills in a different sport. The NBA announced that the American tennis star would be part of its All-Star Celebrity Game. The tennis star suited up for Dwyane Wade’s team, facing off against Ryan Smith’s squad.
The 27-year-old tennis star actually trained for this game.! Ahead of the match he said, “I think [I will] just go out there and have fun. I mean I don’t want to look dumb, that’s why I’ve been training the past couple weeks,” Tiafoe said. “But [it is about] just having fun and obviously All Star [Weekend] everyone is there, you meet so many cool people and people that I’ve been fans of forever.”
Tiafoe showed his excellence in basketball as well, as he scored two baskets in the game. He shared the court with a star-studded lineup, including Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, comedian Hasan Minhaj, and actor Simu Liu.
While Tiafoe’s reaction to the NBA trade has been grabbing headlines, his tennis season hasn’t started as planned. The World No.18 faced second-round exits at both the Brisbane International and the Australian Open. Now, he’s turning his focus to the Dallas Open, where he’s set to take on Japanese tennis player Taro Daniel on Tuesday. The winner of the first-round match will face either Yoshihito Nishioka or Brandon Nakashima.
Can Frances Tiafoe turn around his 2025 season by making a deep run at the Dallas Open? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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