Who is Loren Waters? Lindy Waters’ sister linked to Spurs announcer Jacob Tobey

Loren Waters unexpectedly found herself at the center of NBA headlines after her name surfaced in the controversy involving former San Antonio Spurs broadcaster Jacob Tobey. But while the story has fueled social media speculation, Waters had already established a respected career long before becoming part of the news cycle.

An award-winning filmmaker

A citizen of the Cherokee Nation with Kiowa heritage, Waters is an award-winning filmmaker and producer whose work focuses on Indigenous stories, culture and representation. She founded Waters Media, where she develops documentaries and narrative projects centered on Native voices.

Her credits include Reservation Dogs, Fancy Dance and The Lowdown, while her short documentary Tiger won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film later became Academy Award-qualifying, further cementing her reputation as one of the rising voices in independent filmmaking.

Her work has also been featured at festivals including SXSW and Hot Docs, and she has received recognition from organizations such as Forbes 30 Under 30, Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, the Princess Grace Foundation, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, of which she is a member.

More than her connection to the Spurs

Waters is also the sister of Spurs guard Lindy Waters III and serves as executive director of the Lindy Waters III Foundation, which supports Native youth through education, leadership and community initiatives.

Her name entered the spotlight after social media posts alleged she had been involved with Tobey, who was later reported to be out as the Spurs’ television play-by-play announcer. Neither Waters nor the Spurs have publicly addressed the allegations, and the claims surrounding the controversy remain unverified.

While the off-court story continues to generate attention, Waters’ public profile has largely been built through her work behind the camera, where she has become one of the most recognized Indigenous filmmakers of her generation.