Graffiti artist and Dallas Mavericks fan Preston Pannek seems to have carved out his own spot where he can post his latest thoughts on his favorite team.
The artist, who recently collaborated with Modelo and has previously used the Mavs as a mural subject, was recently given a top-notch real estate canvas. Pete Zotos, the owner of seafood restaurant St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin on Commerce Street in Deep Ellum, donated one of his restaurant’s exterior walls to Pannek and his art studio House of Pannek for another painting Mavs mural.
The artist’s latest work expresses his frustration and that of many other fans at the team’s inability to find a free agent player who can help Luka Dončić catch his breath.
“Whenever something important happens or something needs to be said, [Zotos] allows me to use his wall,” says Pannek.
Pannek’s latest editorial fresco features the Slovenian Mavs star holding up an aquamarine sign that reads “Please send help”, and it’s getting plenty of attention, even domestically. The mural is a few blocks from the headquarters of Mavs owner Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs online discount pharmacy.
“I’m a huge Dallas Mavericks fan,” Pannek said. “However, like most fans here in Dallas, I’m a bit tired that we can’t get free agents here. We have arguably the best basketball player in the world and we can’t get a free agent here, and he’s doing a ridiculous amount of work, and it’s going to wear him out because we can’t get him any help.”
The point Pannek is making has nothing to do with Dončić, who is probably having the best personal season of any NBA player right now. Last month, during a home game against the New York Knicks, he posted the first triple double in league history with 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists. No player has surpassed the 50-20-10 mark since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.
Pannek isn’t the only person who thinks Dončić could use an extra pair of hands on the pitch. Even editorials published and broadcast on national media like Sports Illustrated, ESPN and The ring have been saying the same thing since November.
“Luka deserves a sidekick,” says Pannek. “Bojan Bogdanović would be a great pair. They complement each other very well. We need another attacking goalscorer who can help Luka. He can’t just play every minute of every game.”
Fans and sports pundits gravitate to Pannek’s latest mural to share their own thoughts on the team.
“We’ve been shared on Twitter hundreds of thousands of times,” Pannek says. “Sports is a trigger in Dallas. It’s an easy slam dunk, no pun intended, but you put on a mural that has to do with Dallas sports and you’re going to turn some heads.”
Cuban is known for its openness and responsiveness. So Pannek emailed him a photo of the mural expressing his love for the team and how he’s “a huge fan of you personally”, but also his feelings on the free agency issue. team.
In emails verified by the ObserverCuban simply replied, “It’s disrespectful.”
“But it’s your choice to do what you want,” Cuban added. “If that’s how you want to be a fan, go for it.”
Pannek replied that he was sorry Cuba didn’t like the artwork and pointed to his old “Wonderboy” mural depicting Dončić as a superhero and the portrait of Kristaps Porzingis as a human unicorn.
Cuban responded in kind with compliments for Pannek.
“I appreciate the murals you have done,” Cuban wrote. “You really have artistic talent. I appreciate you being a Mavs fan.”
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