LeBron James has gained a cult following throughout his legendary career. Sometimes, though, those fans will come up with bizarre ways to show their admiration for the 40-year-old. One trend that has surfaced throughout X and TikTok recently is video edits of James with the lullaby “You Are My Sunshine” playing behind his highlights.
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The trend has been so prominent that Donovan Mitchell was asked about it in an interview on All-Star Saturday. The five-time All-Star was left stunned upon hearing LBJ’s newest nickname, questioning who actually refers to LeBron as their “sunshine”.
However, the Cavaliers star wasn’t too excited about the idea of having a lullaby-inspired nickname for himself.
Considering Mitchell’s initial shock and confusion at the James-inspired lullaby, it doesn’t seem as if the 28-year-old will be changing his nickname anytime soon.
He was unsure if he wanted to be associated with a lullaby, saying, “I think, you know, just the Spider-Man theme song is alright for me,” Mitchell said with a chuckle.
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The eight-year veteran already has a well-established nickname that arose soon after he entered the NBA. “Spida” has been synonymous with Mitchell and his brand for the majority of his career, so the superstar guard hasn’t been afraid to embrace the moniker bestowed on him by fans.
Donovan Mitchell has embraced his nickname for years
Mitchell’s “Spida” nickname has become so prominent in NBA circles that he is arguably referred to as that more often than his actual name.
While the NBA does have a number of solid nicknames, including James Harden’s “The Beard” and Kevin Durant’s “Slim Reaper”, most don’t seem to be as creative as they used to be, which makes “Spida” rank near the top in terms of modern-day NBA nicknames.
Mitchell has used that to his advantage, using the name in merchandising and even featuring it on his signature sneaker.
Mitchell’s first signature shoe with Adidas, The D.O.N. Issue #1, was released on July 1, 2019, with five more issues released each year since. “Spida” has even made its way to Dictonary.com back in 2018 as Mitchell continued his rise to superstardom.
The website defines “Spida” as “A basketball species usually found above the rim; equipped with superhuman sense, shot-slinging abilities, and unrivaled bounce.”
The alternate definition is a bit more specific, though: “Nickname of Donovan Mitchell, record-breaking shooting guard for the Utah Jazz and contender for NBA’s 2018 Rookie of the Year.”
The site may need to update which team Mitchell plays for, but the “Spida” has remained part of him throughout his time with the Cavs, as well.
