NBA Star Luka Doncic Plays Santa Then Makes NBA Christmas History

After playing the role of Santa Claus for more than 200 kids and his team, Luka Doncic made NBA Christmas history.

Through his foundation, The Luka Doncic Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks star helped brighten Christmas for kids in Slovenia and Texas. He also kept the holiday spirit going strong when he gifted his teammates, coaches, and support staff a Mercedes-EQ bike.

Doncic made the holidays brighter and happier for hundreds of children and their families in North Texas and Slovenia over the course of four separate events. Doncic met with students from Southern Dallas schools and provided toys and gifts through his foundation, as well as children in care and treatment centers in Fort Worth, Ljubljana, and Verzej.

"My heart has always been with kids, and I know that being in a hospital, a youth center, or facing hard times during the holidays is really tough," Doncic said in an official statement. "I want to do whatever I can to make these kids' days just a bit happier and better."

Doncic surprised 50 students from Dallas ISD's Cedar Crest Elementary and Boude Story Middle School, Bishop Dunne Catholic School, and The Heroes Foundation at a home game on December 20. Not only did they get to watch the Mavericks play the Los Angeles Clippers, but he also arranged their transportation to the game, provided food, and gave them gifts from NERF and Jordan Brand, as well as held a meet-and-greet before the game.

The next morning, Doncic's foundation distributed hand-knit hats and blankets to nearly 100 babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. They also provided gift cards for manicures and pedicures to the mothers, as well as provided financial support to NICU families who need assistance with paying their mortgage or rent, utility bills, and more.

The Foundation also hosted a holiday party for 68 children and teens living at the Youth Care Center Malci Belic Ljubljana. The residents were gifted LEGO sets, NERF toys, Jordan Brand apparel, and more.

"It means a great deal to us that every child in the Youth Care Center Malci Belic received a Christmas present, and a real one at that," Tatjana Plesko Zalar, the Center's principal said in a release. "All too often, our children have the experience of being forgotten by those who should have thought of them. That is why, more than the present itself, it means even more to the children that their role model, Luka Doncic, thought of them."

The Foundation also hosted a party for 56 children at the Residential and Counseling Institution Verzej, a center that educates youth with emotional and behavioral problems and learning disabilities. They also received a variety of gifts.

Doncic's generosity didn't stop at the kids. He also surprised his team with a fun Christmas gift - Mercedes-EQ bikes. And every teammate, staff member and coach got one!

Everyone looked like Santa really delivered with this gift! Surprises all around, as well as gratitude for Doncic for being so generous to his Mavs family.

"You walk in and there's just bikes lined up," Dante Exum said. "It's a great gift. The meeting was short because we were just so excited about the bikes."

While many dropped into the comment section of the Dallas Mavericks Instagram post to talk about how cool the bikes are, one person may have had a glimpse into the future by sharing, "I know Luka is going to bless up with a 40-point triple-double for Christmas now."

Doncic scored an impressive 50 points on Christmas Day, making him only the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 50 points during a Christmas game, according to NBA communications.

He follows Bernard King, who scored 60 points in 1984, Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 59 points in 1961, and Rick Barry, who scored 50 points in 1966.

The Mavericks star shot 15-25 from the field and scored 12-12 from the free-throw line. Following the game he said, "It's fun for me. When you make a shot, the whole gym is quiet. So that's the best feeling in the world."

The Christmas game was Doncic's first 50-point game of the year and only the sixth time in his career scoring 50 points.