“LeBron James copies idol Michael Jordan”: How the Lakers no. 23 took up the chalk toss routine from his idol the Bulls no. 23

The most iconic ritual in basketball is the chalk toss by LeBron James. But did he pick it up from Michael Jordan?

The reason why NBA players use chalk is so that they can improve their grip on the basketball. Using chalk helps them improve the release when they are passing, dribbling, or shooting the ball.

It also helps the ball to stay in their hands and not slip. The usage is widespread and over time, it has become something of a ritual to use it before games.

How and why? The first instance of popularizing chalk usage can be seen back in the 1990s when Michael Jordan used to do the powder toss.

He did it to prank the Bulls commentators by clapping his hands full of chalk. As a running trope, the commentators would show up with masks and umbrellas to avoid the dust.

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LeBron James copies his idol, Michael Jordan!

The next person to truly popularize the usage and in particular, the chalk toss was LeBron. His version was more elaborate and added a lot more panache and flair.

Since he started his chalk toss, it has become the de facto method for the King and fans worldwide have come to associate LeBron and the chalk toss. Not just fans tho, even players have shown a likeness to it.

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