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Awkward LeBron James-Anthony Davis Pregame Interaction Sparks Reaction

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 10:15 PM ET

The big storyline heading into Wednesday’s Los Angeles Lakers-Dallas Mavericks matchup at American Airlines Center was the return of star point guard Luka Doncic, who was traded to L.A. back in February for Anthony Davis.

The Mavericks pulled out all the stops, giving every fan in attendance a t-shirt with “thank you so much” written on the front in Slovenian, and the team aired a heartwarming tribute video for the former No. 3 overall pick, who spent six-plus seasons with the team.

Doncic’s return even brought out several celebrities including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany, plus Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who hasn’t attended many of the team’s games since Doncic was traded over two months ago.

And while Doncic being back at his old stomping grounds commanded most fans’ attention, the other player in that trade turned some heads with his awkward pregame interaction with Lakers star LeBron James.

Moments before tip-off, Davis silently walked past James near midcourt, made a 180 turn, and seemingly begrudgingly walked over and acknowledged James. Davis then shared a brief embrace with Doncic before the game got underway.

Fans took to social media to point out the sheer uneasiness of the moment with some fans hinting that Davis may hold a grudge against James for playing a part in him getting traded to Dallas.

LeBron and AD pregame pic.twitter.com/TSGrvI1QXJ
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) April 9, 2025

“I love that AD gave more love to Luka instead of flip flop Lebron,” one fan pointed out.

“Lmao AD wanted to ignore him so bad he knew the media would eat it up,” another fan quipped.

“You can feel the tension,” one user pointed out.

“Thought we was gonna get a Shaq ignoring Kobe moment before tip off Christmas ’04,” another user stated.

“Lebron was embarrassed for a moment,” one fan noted.

“I think he know LeBron traded him ,” another fan replied.

“I wouldn’t be cool wit Bron either,” remarked another user.

The Lakers ultimately pulled out a 112-97 win.

Doncic went off for a season-high 45 points while adding eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals. James chipped in 27 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while Davis contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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