"They will be a laughingstock" - LeBron James' ex-teammate issues a stark warning to Luka Doncic and Mavs amid Noah Lyles' comments

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are slated for a preseason matchup against the reigning EuroLeague champions, Real Madrid, in Madrid on 10th October.

The game will mark a showdown between two of the NBA’s top stars in Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and arguably the best team outside of the U.S. It will likely be the center of attention given the recent debate surrounding whether NBA champions should be called world champions.

Track and field star Noah Lyles ignited the debate when he questioned why American NBA teams refer to themselves as world champs. According to superstar LeBron James' ex-teammate, Richard Jefferson, this makes it crucial for Dallas to win.

During a recent episode of the “Road Trippin” podcast, Jefferson joked that the Mavs will become a laughingstock if they lose to Real Madrid.

“Noah, know this, if the Dallas Mavericks go over there and lose to Real Madrid, they will be a laughingstock over here,” Jefferson said. (23:55 mark)

Real Madrid’s roster features several former NBA players, including Rudy Fernandez, Mario Hezonja, Dzanan Musa, and Sergio Rodriguez. Per NBA.com, the team has also won a record 36 La Liga ACB championships and is the winningest team in EuroLeague history with 11 titles.

However, most agree that the gap between NBA teams and international teams is still large. So, the Mavericks will still be expected to win the matchup with relative ease.

Also read: “I’m gonna say Jayson Tatum” - Stephen A. Smith snubs Luka Doncic on his list of best players under 25 in NBA

Real Madrid ambassador is looking forward to matchup against Luka Doncic and the Mavs

Despite this only being a preseason matchup, Real Madrid ambassador Felipe Reyes is excited about how much it will mean to Spanish basketball fans.

After the news was announced last week, Reyes spoke to NBA.com about how special it is for Real Madrid to be able to take on an NBA opponent.

“Facing an NBA team is always special, but on this occasion even more so, as it will give us the opportunity to once again enjoy a Real Madrid legend and NBA star like Luka Doncic, who proudly carries the name of our club and presumes of being a Madridista wherever he goes,” Reyes said.