Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has built a reputation over the years for being petulant, complaining incessantly to officials every time he feels the slightest bit of contact and doesn't get the whistle. For the past few years, Doncic has routinely ranked atop the NBA leaderboard in technical fouls, which isn't exactly a badge of honor. But it seems as though his Mavs teammates, in particular Grant Williams, are doing whatever they can to protect Doncic from his worst instincts.

Like in every other game, Doncic felt as if he was fouled on one play with the Mavs and Chicago Bulls heading into break due to a timeout. This pause in the action seemed to empower Doncic to complain even more loudly to the officials; however, according to Landon Thomas of Mavs Fans For Life, Williams pulled Doncic aside and urged him to return to the bench and let him, the vice-president of the NBA Player's Association, do the pleading to the officials for him.

This is an incredible gesture from Grant Williams, as he, like every other Mavs player and fan, know how important Luka Doncic is to the team's chances of winning. Williams is also well-suited to these kinds of discussions; after all, he won't be able to rise to a position of prominent influence in the NBPA without displaying the necessary diplomatic skills to handle conflict.

With the way Doncic has acted over the years, this kind of intervention from the Mavs, in one way or another, has long been overdue. The Mavs star has been in danger of racking up suspensions due to technical fouls for years; last season, Doncic finished the Mavs' disappointing campaign with 17 technical fouls, warranting a one-game suspension, and then during the 2021-22 season, he tallied 18, earning his reputation as a hothead with referees.

And with the Mavs on a roll (they're now 4-0 after taking home a 114-108 victory over the Bulls on Wednesday night), they should be doing their best in ensuring that Luka Doncic remains at the top of his game, away from any distractions that may preclude him from leading the team. Grant Williams seems to be doing just that, filling his role both on and off the court for a Mavs team that was in need of direction after a dispiriting 2022-23 campaign.