For a large group of NBA fans, the love for the game was damaged severely earlier this year when the Dallas Mavericks traded away franchise player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Anthony Davis.
While there have been a number of retrospectives and reasonings for why the trade was made, many fans of the Mavericks are still struggling to wrap their heads around it all, and buy back into the team. That is all even with the news that Dallas will get the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and is expected to pick Duke star Cooper Flagg.
One of those fans is Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world. Ahead of his start at the U.S. Open, Scheffler was reminded that the last time he played at the Oakmont Country Club, he admitted that he rushed through his first round to get home to watch the NBA Finals, which was between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler walks to the ninth green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday golf tournament.
Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
This time around, Scheffler said he doesn't plan on rushing home to watch basketball, in large part because he's lost some love for the sport.
"This year's Finals probably isn't going to effect my schedule much," Scheffler said with a laugh. "Ever since the Mavs traded Luka, I've just been a little bit, you know...a little bummed watching the NBA. It hurts a little bit still. We'll have to regroup and get ready for next season for the Mavs."
It's not shocking to hear that from Scheffler, who grew up as a Mavericks fan in Texas. While the franchise should be in good hands going forward with Flagg, who is among the most hyped No. 1 pick in recent NBA memory, getting rid of a bonafide star like Doncic is something that will never sit right.
On the bright side, Scheffler won't have a reason to rush through any of his rounds to get home and watch basketball. That's something that should bum out the rest of the field this week in the U.S. Open.