The Los Angeles Lakers showed the strength of their backcourt on Saturday as their two star guards took turns leading the team to a victory over the Denver Nuggets. Austin Reaves forced overtime with a clutch floater, while Luka Doncic sealed the win with a fadeaway jumper with just 0.5 seconds remaining.
The thrilling finish came in front of a packed home crowd that included several high-profile celebrities. Among those in attendance was Russian tennis icon Maria Sharapova, who drew additional attention after posing for a photo with Doncic following the game.
The four-time Grand Slam champion used to be a regular presence courtside at Lakers games, although that was more than a decade ago when she was still dating two-time Lakers champion Sasha Vujacic.
William Liang-Imagn Images
Sharapova later revealed that it had been a long time since she last attended an NBA game. She also had praise for Doncic, who—like Vujacic—hails from Slovenia.
The NBA official X account also posted the two’s meeting.
Tennis legend Maria Sharapova & Luka Dončić following the Lakers OT W! pic.twitter.com/9YRD5XeJLv
— NBA (@NBA) March 15, 2026
Sharapova’s striking beauty caught fans’ attention, but so did her height. With fans discussing the photo online, some even joked that the Lakers’ dynamic guard duo might have found a towering third member.
The Russian tennis star stands at 6-foot-2, while Doncic is listed at 6-foot-8.
“She’s so tall 😮💨,” one comment on X reads.
“She’s listed at 6’2 ain’t no wayyy. Gotta be at at least 6’4 Luka is 6’7/6’8,” said another.
“Wow maria must have heels she is 6 feet or the guy is overlisted,” another one wrote.
Her Instagram post garnered similar reactions. One user wrote, “rooted for you all my life, never knew you were this tall?😂”
This isn’t the first time basketball fans have been surprised by Sharapova’s height when she stands next to NBA players. Last year, she appeared alongside Lakers legend Magic Johnson during Billie Jean King’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where fans again noted how tall the former tennis star looked next to the five-time NBA champion.
Related: Lakers Announce Luka Doncic’s New Career Milestones in Purple and Gold
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
