Back in 2003, then-NBA rookie LeBron James attended a WWE match that involved the iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin. Trying to get pictures of the famous WWE star on a flip phone, James was wearing a red t-shirt and could not help but admire one of the pictures that he took. LeBron ended up hilariously showing off the image on camera, giving birth to an iconic meme that would become a part of his career for years.
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Almost 19 years later, in 2021, James was spotted wearing a black t-shirt proclaiming “LeBron 3:16.” 3;16 is famously associated with Stone Cold after he used the phrase in a speech he made after a 1996 King of the Ring match against Jake “The Snake” Roberts. For LeBron who had not hidden his fandom for Austin in 2003, a public appearance with Stone Cold’s classic phrase on his t-shirt meant revisiting that childhood interest,
LeBron James sports a Stone Cold t-shirt almost two decades after the iconic 2003 meme
James was also a WWE fan at least back in 2003, and could be seen hyping up Stone Cold during the entire match. Back in 2003, he had a flip phone that he wanted to use in order to take pictures of the iconic wrestler.
LeBron proceeded to do so and was obviously impressed with his work. He looked delighted when showing off the image in front of the camera, which gave rise to an iconic meme.
The origin of this ICONIC LeBron meme is hilarious😭 pic.twitter.com/k6MCqpPZr8
— Whistle (@WhistleSports) September 29, 2023
Over the years, it seems as if James has continued to support the now retired 5-time World Champion. According to a tweet by SportsCenter, he was recently spotted sporting a black t-shirt that also featured the iconic “3:16” number, associated with Stone Cold.
The t-shirt merely sported the number below his first name. It also had a skull at the back with James’ 23 jersey number printed on the forehead.
3:16 vibes 💀 @KingJames
cc: @steveaustinBSR pic.twitter.com/mUFAXS7Vvx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 16, 2021
Even years later, LeBron continues to show his support for one of the most famous wrestlers of all time. Now retired, LeBron is still a fan and used the t-shirt to effectively pay tribute to the WWE legend.
LeBron James refused to meet Undertaker for a PR stunt
James’ association with Stone Cold is not the only time he has shown support for a WWE superstar. Back in 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers had invited the Undertaker for a meet and greet.
This was after the NBA Finals that the Cavaliers ended up winning against the Golden State Warriors. While James wore an Undertaker shirt while sitting on the bench during the game, he had no interest in showing up for a PR stunt.
James had apparently been aware of the fact that the publicity stunt was merely a means for the Undertaker to make money. While he wanted to show support for the WWE star, he had no intention of being involved in a PR stunt that did not benefit him.
