Mavericks: Luka Doncic brought a special friend to practice

The Dallas Mavericks are keeping things are focused on competing and having fun at practice under new head coach Jason Kidd. The feeling and energy around the team is dramatically different this year as superstar Luka Doncic looks locked in and ready for a special season.

Kidd has taken a different approach to practices and handling the media. He has been more open and not afraid to share his strategies. The Hall of Fame point guard even brought his dog to the workout on Monday, where the animal made a new friend.

The Mavericks were making their final preparations on Wednesday afternoon before heading to Atlanta for their season opener, and Luka brought his dog to practice. Let us take a closer look at what the new vibe around the practice facility could mean for the 2021-2022 Mavs.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic brings his dog to practice

Fans can see Gia helping the Mavericks superstar with his lift on Oct. 20. Luka has two dogs, and Mavs supporters can follow their happenings on Instagram. No word on where Hugo was on Wednesday.

Rick Carlisle would never bring his dog to practice or let his star player do it. That may be the biggest change under coach Kidd. The team is keeping it loose and focused on having fun. They are still trying to bring the best out of each other, but the players have a lot more input on the happenings.

How will it impact the team? That is yet to be seen, but there are certainly a lot of smiles and excitement for Thursday’s season opener. The Dallas Mavericks were undefeated in the preseason, and there were some on-court changes on display. Can the team improve their defense and jump into title contention? Coach Kidd believes they can, and fans should tune in to see how it all shakes out.