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LeBron James, who recently became a billionaire, lost $25,000 after a brutal loss to the Magic

Arun Sharma
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LeBron James, who recently became a billionaire, lost $25,000 after a brutal loss to the Magic

Nobody is above the rules – not even LeBron James.

In the 2009 conference finals, LeBron James was preparing to make his first step onto the stage of the season. Facing the Orlando Magic, a team he would come to loathe, Bron was all but ready to face anything Stan Van Gundy threw at him.

Individually, he had an amazing postseason, and the first game against the Magic was no different. A blazing 49 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists later, he was the only one who could walk out of the stadium with his head held high. Instead, he let it droop, and he sulked away from attending mandatory press duties.

It is against the league rules to miss pre-mandated media duties, but David Stern at first decided to brush it off. After reconsideration, though, he decided to impose a $25,000 fine on him for missing his duties. Stern was stern with the King, showing once and for all, the Emperor is higher than the King.

Also Read: LeBron James was unstoppable in 2009, Stan Van Gundy just couldn’t have been any luckier

LeBron James will look to keep up his image for the rest of his career – he doesn’t want to be a bad role model to the kids

Last season, Bron did whatever he wanted to keep himself entertained. From wearing broken glasses to hitting the big B**ls dance, he was a menace on the court. That also got him banned for a game and slapped with a $15,000 fine. It may be a drop in the ocean for him, but the principle remains.

For someone who relies on their image to make money, LeBron did the unthinkable a lot last year. He got into a scuffle against Isiah Stewart and got his first career suspension. It’s not something that you show to your young fans. A nearly 40-year-old man getting into brawls and dancing like a character from Fortnite is uncharacteristic of an otherwise stoic man.

Those outbursts may have been in conjecture to how the season was going-if this season goes well, he should be back to his very best. If it goes, that is. Adam Silver is under a lot of pressure to control some big names. Bron may be the biggest one to take a hit if his behaviour continues.

Also Read: LeBron James has countless nicknames, but the one by New York takes the cake by a mile

About the author

Arun Sharma

Arun Sharma

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Arun Sharma is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A double degree holder and a digital marketer by trade, Arun has always been a sports buff. He fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age and has been a Lakers fan since 2006. What started as a Kobe Bryant obsession slowly turned into a lifelong connection with the purple and gold. Arun has been an ardent subscriber to the Mamba mentality and has shed tears for a celebrity death only once in his life. He believes January 26, 2020, was the turning point in the passage of time because Kobe was the glue holding things together. From just a Lakers bandwagoner to a basketball fanatic, Arun has spent 16 long years growing up along with the league. He thinks Stephen Curry has ruined basketball forever, and the mid-range game is a sight to behold. Sharma also has many opinions about football (not the American kind), F1, MotoGP, tennis, and cricket.

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