Basketball fans are a passionate breed, and with such a heavy emphasis on the stars, they are constantly going after them for various reasons. The fan base is typically at the extremes of the spectrum, both in support of and against players.
That passion, though, comes out in extremely harsh ways. Thanks to social media, athletes are more personally accessible than ever before. But sometimes they go overboard with their critique, as Ric Flair did against Luka Dončić.
Why Ric Flair Criticized Luka Dončić for Sitting Out
In his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dončić was setting the world on fire. Leading the league with 33.5 points, he also added 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists while shooting an efficient 47.6% from the field.
An MVP candidate throughout the year, he unfortunately suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain at the start of April. As a result, he hasn’t been back on the court since, with a typical recovery period stretching somewhere between four and eight weeks.
While the Lakers were able to take care of business in the first round against the Houston Rockets, the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are a different story altogether.
After losing the first two games by 18 points each, the Lakers did not see things get much better in Game 3 either. While the final score heavily skewed toward a blowout, the actual games were far closer for the most part.
RELATED: What Happened to Luka Dončić? Latest on the Lakers Superstar’s Injury Status and When He’ll Return
Unfortunately, the compromised depth and the team missing its best player and scorer ultimately became too much for the Lakers to overcome. But with Dončić not returning to the court, the former wrestling savant called him out directly.
“@lukadoncic, There Is Only One Word That I Can Possibly Say, And That’s DISAPPOINTED. 46 Million Dollars, And You Can’t Play. OMG, I Would Jump Off The Empire State Building With A Parachute For 46 Million Dollars A Year, And I Don’t Even Know How To Pull The Cord To Open It- But I Would Take My Chances.”
.@lukadoncic, There Is Only One Word That I Can Possibly Say, And That’s DISAPPOINTED. 46 Million Dollars, And You Can’t Play. OMG, I Would Jump Off The Empire State Building With A Parachute For 46 Million Dollars A Year, And I Don’t Even Know How To Pull The Cord To Open It-… pic.twitter.com/Q4KsivXySB
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) May 10, 2026
Without the five-time All-NBA selection, the Lakers couldn’t get it done in Game 3 either, as they lost by 23 to give OKC a 3-0 lead that might effectively be the end of the season for LA.
It wasn’t the only time that Flair has directly criticized Dončić for his unavailability in the series. But a hamstring strain is a tricky injury to come back from, particularly against a physical team like the Thunder.
As a result, it might be smart for Los Angeles to give the Slovenian superstar the proper treatment he needs for a better long-term outlook.
