LeBron James had a heated exchange with a heckler during the Lakers’ loss to the crosstown Clippers on Tuesday.
A fan caught the moment on film, in which the fan, identified as @ruthlessrich, can be heard making fun of James’ receding hairline. “Hey LeBron, you better get this s— together. With that receding a– hairline. Look, he’s mad. Look at him!” The fan said.
James then turned to confront the fan, but was escorted away by security before the incident escalated.
Bron wanted all of the smoke pic.twitter.com/T0uV5IiIdy
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) January 25, 2023
The video of the exchange has since gone viral on social media, with many people taking James’ side, calling the heckler a “clout chaser” looking for internet fame.
Despite the heckling, James had a strong performance on the court, scoring 46 points and making nine three-pointers, but it was not enough to secure a win for the Lakers, who lost to the Clippers 133-115.
After the game, James addressed the incident with the heckler during a post-game press conference. “I’m just a man, just like everybody else. I have emotions, I have feelings,” he said. “And just because I’m an NBA player and I make a lot of money and I have a certain status, that doesn’t mean that I’m not human.”
Fans on Twitter shared their thoughts on the encounter:
I despise those type of people. They know lebron cant do anything in those circumstances so they see it as a opportunity to do this.
— randobot#99 ⚓🏴☠️🇮🇪🇫🇷 (@nathangilmarti1) January 25, 2023
He went on to say that while he understands that being a professional athlete comes with criticism, it’s important for people to understand that athletes are also human beings who are affected by negative comments.
James also emphasized the importance of treating each other with respect and kindness, regardless of their profession or status.
