LeBron James has been in the headlines for his ongoing feuds, but still carries a playful attitude. The Lakers superstar engaged in a wholesome back-and-forth once he noticed a reporter wearing a Manchester United jacket. He made his distaste towards the renowned club known.
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The 21-time All-Star’s hatred toward Manchester United runs deep. His allegiance to soccer is with Liverpool, who are rivals with the English club. However, LeBron’s connection to the team is more than a simple fandom, he is also a part-owner of the team holding a 2 percent stake with Fenway Sports Group. He has invested $6.5 million in the club since 2011, with it being worth $107 million according to Forbes’ estimation.
Following a workout, LeBron followed his daily routine of speaking with the media. Recognized Lakers reporter Mike Trudell prepared to ask James a question. Before he could get a word out, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer vocalized his disgust.
“That is a horrible jacket, by the way,” LeBron said. He continued to repeat himself before imitating a motion of ripping the logo off of the jacket. James and Trudell shared a hearty laugh following the interaction.
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James is a byproduct of the massive rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United. In a simple exchange outside of soccer, his allegiance to his club is on full display. However, that wasn’t always the case. There was a time where the four-time NBA champion snubbed his team in favor of Manchester United.
LeBron included Manchester United in a historic list of teams
LeBron decided to join the Lakers in the offseason, entering the 2018-19 season. There were plenty of reasons that pushed him to leave his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Among the plethora of business and financial opportunities, James wanted to be a part of the legendary history of the Lakers.
In an interview with ESPN back in 2018, LeBron highlighted the significance of playing with a storied franchise in sports.
“You can look at the [Dallas] Cowboys, you can look at the [New England] Patriots, you can look at Manchester United, Boston Celtics,” James said. “These are historical franchises and for me to be a part of that is a great moment, not only for me, but also my family and the history of basketball in general.”
At the time, LeBron was already a part-owner of Liverpool. His choice of words to highlight Manchester United and not Liverpool caused some friction within the fandom. However, LeBron has since learned from his mistake and will ride with Liverpool to the very end. That’s apparent from his interaction with Trudell.
