Hoops and Hope
The evening of February 1, 2025 will live in infamy for Dallas Mavericks basketball fans. Late that Saturday night, the news broke. In an unprecedented move, a beloved Mavericks player, Luka Dončić, had been traded away to another team. The transfer, arranged in secret, caused widespread shock and disbelief for many—not just Mavericks fans.
Several wondered at first if the announcement was a prank. Devoted fans immediately took to social media to communicate their disappointment and displeasure. For many, the news shattered their dreams of future victories as the player widely considered to be a generational talent for the Mavericks joined another team. The confidence in their team’s ability to earn a chance to win an NBA championship trophy in the near future was demolished with this news.
My husband has been a dedicated Mavs fan since the team was founded in 1980. One of our four sons, a college student, caught the bug as well. The magnitude of this news was so great that I felt compelled to check on loved ones who would be affected. I reached out to my college son, a state away. Before I could even broach the subject, he said, “I don’t want to talk about it. At all!” The loss of a talent of Dončić’s level was monumental. It’s hard to let go of a dream to achieve victory when it has felt so attainable.
Mavericks fans all over wailed about hopes no longer possible, reminiscing over the past seven seasons. The amount of ink spilled and views exchanged over this incident, as well as its emotional aftermath, are staggering. It seemed most were not inclined toward the mindset of Ecclesiastes 7:10: “Do not say, ‘why were the old days better than these?’” (NIV). With additional players’ injuries negatively affecting play, the short-term championship ambitions of the team appeared out of reach.
When people experience loss, it can be difficult to believe there are good things ahead. It is common to desire tangible proof that something positive is on the horizon. Without verification that there truly is something good ahead, what is there to wish for? It can be a real struggle to maintain a belief that something better is in store if you are in the depths of despair. In the last few months, many Mavericks fans have had a bleak outlook for the future of their team.
Suddenly, hope bloomed. The evidence fans so desperately craved arrived during the NBA draft lottery on May 12, 2025. Against almost impossible odds, the Dallas Mavericks obtained the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft. Finally—a chance to dream about a talented prospect. Instantly, anticipation replaced dejection.
As a spectator of the roller-coaster ride sport fans experience with player trades, injuries, coach firings, etc., I see a parallel lesson for believers about having confidence that good things are yet to come in the absence of proof. For Christians, no matter how long we travel in the valley, we will crest the peak once more. For this reason, we do not need to wait in anticipation of a sought after “lottery pick” rescue.
Our future remains bright even in the midst of dark times caused by adversity and disappointments. Romans 8:17-26 tells us there is a future glory for co-heirs of Jesus. In this passage, Paul is trying to change the focus from groaning to expectation: “Hope that is seen is no hope at all” (8:24). Present sufferings are already guaranteed to be fleeting in light of eternity and what God has achieved for us through Christ.
Disappointments will always draw attention. For believers, however, they are never the end of the story. Paul proclaims that our earthly sufferings cannot be compared to the glory that is to come. We don’t have to wait for visible evidence to hope for something better. Jesus has been raised! We didn’t see it, but we know it to be true. The future for faithful followers of God is already promised by the great promise keeper. Our role is to be patient, enduring whatever difficulties come our way, faithfully believing we are already victorious.
