Watch: LeBron Snaps at Fan Asking for Picture, Harshly Rejects Him After Winning 3rd Olympic Gold Medal
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Parents around the world have a moral obligation to discourage their children from chasing after celebrities.
On the other hand, if one particular celebrity happens to snub you, it could mean big things in your future.
As shown in a series of clips posted to the social media platform X following Team USA’s gold medal-winning victory over France at the Olympics on Aug. 10, NBA star LeBron James of Team USA and the Los Angeles Lakers clearly and callously brushed off a young male fan who approached him seeking either an autograph or a photo.
In one brief clip, an angry-sounding James repeatedly told the boy to back off.
“Stop, stop, stop, stop! Don’t do that,” the basketball star said to the much smaller kid, who held a phone in his left hand.
LeBron James just snaps at a young white fan who wants to greet him and congratulate him on his win. Then he goes off and does a little dance over his gold medal. Brute. I’m heartbroken for the kid. pic.twitter.com/bf9PlNCICa
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 12, 2024
Meanwhile, a somewhat lengthier clip from a different angle made the incident appear even worse for James.
In this second clip, the audio barely caught James’ admonition to the young fan. It did, however, capture two other revolting scenes.
First, it showed that after James brushed past the young fan, another man walking behind the basketball star extended his left arm and made contact with the boy’s chest as if to reinforce the barrier between the boy and James.
Second, it showed James doing a very stupid-looking dance at the door to what looked like a club. That happened only ten seconds after his encounter with the boy.
In other words, in true narcissistic fashion, the NBA star had time to gyrate and draw attention to himself but not to take a photo or sign an autograph.
NEW: NBA star LeBron James is under fire for snapping at a young fan who asked for a picture after winning gold at the Olympics.
James was seen telling the kid ‘stop’ before he pulled off a dance move while entering the venue.
“Stop, stop, stop” he said to the kid.
James was… pic.twitter.com/VQj3Z9M8X8
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 11, 2024
James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 40,474 points, will turn 40 in December.
According to ESPN, the four-time NBA MVP powered Team USA to a 98-87 win over France and a gold medal. The veteran even earned the Olympics MVP.
But James also has his share of detractors thanks to his liberal stances on a number of issues, including his disgusting history of kneeling at the woke altar by refusing to stand for the national anthem.
In fact, women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines thought this should have disqualified James from carrying the flag for Team USA. Perhaps it should have.
Either way, the young fan who James snubbed should take heart.
After all, in a 51-second clip posted to X on July 16, star forward Jayson Tatum of the NBA champion Boston Celtics recalled having received the same treatment from James many years ago.
“My mom took me to a game in Memphis,” Tatum recalled. “I wanted to meet LeBron, and I wanted to get a picture with him and an autograph. And there was a lot of people back there, and he was like, ‘I’m out. I gotta go.’ And I got in the car and started crying. But we cool now.”
Tatum was 11 at the time.
For his part, James took the snubbing revelation from his now-NBA peer and Olympic teammate in stride.
“That why you dunked on me, though? That’s why you dunked on me in the conference finals?” James asked.
Jayson Tatum said that when he was 11 years old, LeBron James didn’t give him an autograph, which made him cry.
LeBron: “Is that why you dunked on me in the conference finals?” 😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/xUs4RIrggn
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 16, 2024
Thus, the boy in France whom James angrily dismissed has two reasons not to care.
First, like Tatum, the boy could one day make a name for himself. In fact, James’ snub could help fuel that journey.
Second, and far more important, neither James nor any other celebrity is worth the trouble.
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