Luka Dončić’s return to Dallas unsurprisingly attracted a remarkable television audience. The game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks averaged 2.26 million viewers on ESPN, marking it as the most-watched NBA game on the network this season, aside from Christmas Day, according to ESPN PR. The viewership peaked at 2.79 million, demonstrating a significant interest in Dončić’s return.
Luka Dončić’s return to Dallas on Wednesday drew the largest non-Christmas #NBA audience on ESPN this season (2.26M avg. viewers) 🏀 pic.twitter.com/vedYlxKEPg
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) April 10, 2025
The Lakers’ victory saw a 71% increase compared to the previous year’s similar NBA matchup, which featured the Mavericks and Heat, garnering only 1.23 million viewers. However, the uniqueness of Wednesday’s game and the context surrounding Dončić’s return allowed ESPN and the NBA media to revisit the much-discussed trade that transferred the star player to Los Angeles. This trade has undoubtedly boosted NBA viewership. For instance, Dončić’s debut in Los Angeles in February attracted 2.87 million viewers for ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime. As the regular season nears its end, viewership has leveled with last year, despite earlier concerns from the media about a potential ratings crisis.
