Now, Tara Davis-Woodhall and Luka Doncic are two very different characters. While their mass appeal as masters of their sport can be seen as a common point, that’s the extent of it. Not anymore, though. Why? Because a recent incident made Davis-Woodhall and Doncic come into the same orbit. Athletes have had some pretty uncomfortable experiences with journalists over time. This time around, too, Tara spotted one such extreme behavior from the journalists. And she could not keep calm after that. But what is it all about? And what did Tara say?

Well, quite a bit. As it turned out, Luka Doncic went to the Dallas Mavericks after quite a long time. Wearing the Los Angeles Lakers’ jersey this time, Doncic was greeted pretty warmly. After all, he was one of the biggest stars for the Mavericks before his blockbuster trade to the Lakers. While the Mavericks paid an emotional tribute to Doncic, the 25-year-old could not stop the tears rolling down his face. And while this was a heartfelt moment for sports, Tara Davis-Woodhall had one problem. 

The visuals of Luka Doncic crying became viral instantly. Several cameras panned across his face as he was crying. And this was something that did not sit well with the Olympic gold medalist. Taking to her threads account, Davis-Woodhall wrote, “Sometimes I wish journalism wasn’t a thing. This man wants to grieve. Yet there are 4+ cameras or more on his face. Imagine if it were you, Mr. Cameraman. I get you all are trying to get a story… but STEP TF BACK.” Well, her message was loud and clear.

She opined that journalists must have a minimum sense of sincerity. She also lashed out at the media for trying to get the news out of every action a celebrity athlete takes. This somehow results in the invasion of personal space, according to Tara Davis-Woodhall. This is quite true, as during the video, Doncic looked quite conscious in his approach and was hesitant to let his emotions come out organically.

While the Lakers won the game by a score of 112-97, the moment with Doncic was surely a heartfelt one. Meanwhile, with Doncic getting emotional, LeBron James and co. were utterly supportive of their star teammate.

Lakers rally around Luka Doncic in emotional Dallas return

Luka Doncic didn’t just return to Dallas on Wednesday. He returned with a new family. In a game wrapped in personal emotion and public spectacle, it wasn’t just the former Maverick’s 45-point performance that stood out. Rather, it was how the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped themselves around their newest star, turning what could’ve been an isolating night into a powerful team statement.

“Everybody had my back, from coaches to players,” Luka stated after the Lakers’ 112-97 win that clinched a top-six seed. Doncic further added, “And we’re trying to build something special here, and that was really, really, really nice to see.” His teammates didn’t just support him; they lived every moment with him. From pregame tears to post-game celebration, the bond was palpable.

Austin Reaves admitted he avoided eye contact with Doncic during the tribute video because, “If I look at this man and I see the emotion, like, I’m probably going to get upset,” shared Reaves without a filter. Head coach JJ Redick and assistant Greg St. Jean felt the impact, too. “Greg said to me, ‘This is gonna be awesome for our group to go through this with him and for him to go through this with them,’” Redick shared. What started as Doncic’s night became the Lakers’ moment — and maybe the start of something bigger.