Wine aficionado LeBron James had time for a quick sip during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 126-107 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
The 41-year-old was chasing down a loose ball at Xfinity Mobile Arena when he ended up in the crowd along the baseline. James was able to avoid a full-speed collision with fans but did bump into one Sixers supporter who happened to be carrying a dark beverage back to his seat.
With play resuming behind him, James made the veteran decision to have a quick taste of what was later revealed to be wine. Then, having satiated his thirst, James returned to action as Philly improved to 7-1 on the season.
Afterwards, ESPN’s Kris Rhim spoke with the Sixers fan.
‘Walking to my seat, whatever this beverage is, we won’t say what it is,’ Troy Clemons said, while holding up the replacement drink he bought himself. ‘LeBron crashed into me. He grabbed me, he said ‘my bad.’ My drink spilled everywhere. He took my drink from me and basically just took a sip of it and gave it back and ran back.’
To be clear, Clemons was not upset in the slightest.
Wine afficionado LeBron James had time for a quick sip during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 126-107 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Monday night
James’ did receive some applause for the maneuver, which hardly seemed to slow him down on a night when he had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds
Troy Clemens didn’t initially reveal that James drank wine, but ultimately let it slip
‘I’m just glad for him to be here,’ he told ESPN. ‘I’m not worried about the wine getting on me. But I appreciate everything the Sixers is doing. And I’m here to have a good time, appreciate it.’
Asked what he did with the plastic cup that many might consider a collector’s item, Clemons admittedly tossed it and revisited the Xfinity Mobile Arena concessions stand.
‘I threw that cup in the trash,’ Clemons told ESPN. ‘And it’s nothing up with him, I just got a fresh drink though.’
James did offer a brief review of the red wine postgame.
”I crashed into him, spilled some of his wine,’ James told reporters. ‘So I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm and how good it was. It was all right.’
James did receive some applause for the maneuver, which hardly seemed to slow him down on a night when he had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
But not everyone was so pleased with James’s antics. Namely, Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy began moralizing in response to the moment.
‘If anybody else did this they’d be checked into [Alcoholics Anonymous] but because it’s Bron Bron Sportcenter will do an hour special on it,’ Portnoy wrote on X. ‘Who cares the example it sets for kids that you need to be drunk to play sports?’
Many of Portnoy’s followers were quick to remind him of the drunken debauchery Barstool Sports has relied on to connect with a generation of young men.
‘Isn’t that basically your entire platform?’ one follower asked.
James wasn’t done having fun on Monday. Later he was seen twerking after a basket
LeBron James and Adem Bona celebrate during the Sixers’ blowout win over the Bulls
James wasn’t done having fun on Monday. Later he was seen twerking after hitting a basket and drawing a foul.
Some fans were quick to connect the two moments.
‘He definitely playing drunk,’ one fan joked.
James isn’t the first athlete to consume concessions during a game. Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder was caught stealing some nachos from a fan after missing a foul ball in 2013.
More famously, then-Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens celebrated a touchdown in 2007 by pouring a fan’s box of popcorn all over his mouth and face. That moment has since been turned into a popular GIF.
