“He’s Him”: Caitlin Clark Applauds LeBron James for Giving Up Cookies, Admits She Couldn’t

Joseph Galizia | 18/02/2026
LeBron James(L) and Caitlin Clark(R)

Sacrifices are necessary in athletics, especially physically. No one knows that better than LeBron James. The King is 41 years old but has the youthful exuberance of a man in his mid 20s, both emotionally and physically. Sure, he’s slowed down a bit, but the four-time champ still can provide bursts of greatness that some youngbloods will never be able to perform. He’s still very much one-of-one.

And it’s not like the sacrifices are easy. LBJ missed the first portion of the season due to sciatica on his right side, a setback that required him to once again make sacrifices and put a focus on his physical well-being. James famously revealed that he had given up drinking wine so he could get back onto the hardwood sooner. However, a new report discloses another thing he had to give up. Something of greater importance.

ESPN released a report stating that King James had given up cookies in order to get back into game shape. That’s right, his favorite snack in the world. Cookies. We know how important they are to him. He essentially quit the Heat after Pat Riley took his cookies away from him during his Miami days. That kind of restraint is what GOATs are made of. And now, another GOAT is recognizing that.

“I’d rather retire than do this. This is why he’s him,” stated WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark in the comments section of the ESPN article. CC has done more for the W in two years than some have in two decades. Her greatness is already cemented. So when Clark says this, it carries weight.

Having Clark acknowledge James’ incredible sacrifice has since caught the attention of basketball fanatics everywhere. “Caitlin Clark gets it… some things are just too real to give up,” wrote one fan on X. And they’re right. Bron has given up his privacy. He’s given up years away from his family. He’s giving his life to the league, and now he’s scaling back on his favorite sweet? LEGENDARY.

And while some have responded online in jest, the common theme is about LBJ’s discipline. “Lmao Caitlin gets it, chocolate chip cookies are non-negotiable. LeBron’s discipline is unreal tho, respect,” wrote someone else on X. “LeBron’s discipline is on another level…this is why he’s the blueprint for greatness. Respect,” added a third user.

The bigger picture here is what this means for the Los Angeles Lakers as they gear up for the second half of the season. They’re clearly betting that a locked-in, healthier LeBron can still tilt a playoff race, especially in a West where a few games can swing seeding fast.
It also says something about how seriously James is at snagging that fifth ring. If the Lakers make noise down the stretch, don’t be surprised if fans jokingly credit the “no-cookie era” as the turning point. Until then, we just need to watch greatness cook on the court as opposed to snacking on a chocolate chip on off-days.
Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Caitlin Clark LeBron Jams Los Angeles Lakers

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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