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“LeBron James, you started growing a beard as you went bald”: When Charles Barkley took the mickey out of the Lakers star after he won 2018 All-Star Game MVP

Amulya Shekhar
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"LeBron James, you started growing a beard as you went bald": When Charles Barkley took the mickey out of the Lakers star after he won 2018 All-Star Game MVP

Charles Barkley has been bald forever, so he’s never had a problem clowning LeBron James – or anyone – for their hairline.

LeBron James has been in the public eye for nearly 20 years now. It’s been a hell of a ride watching him grow from…well, he’s always been this big and strong really.

The one major change in James that we’ve all noted over the years is in his hairline. The man had a magnificent head of hair when he first came into the league. But over the years, as he gained all those accolades and rings, the hairline faded away to the background.

It suddenly staged an amazing return from a trough in his Miami years once he returned to Cleveland. Rumors were abuzz that James had been getting some hair transplants to bring life back to a receded hairline. LeBron never once gave credence to those rumors.

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Now, if any of us had the temerity and the lack of filter to bring this up on national TV, it’d have to be Chuck. Charles Barkley always makes uncomfortable conversations like these seems so much more bearable.

Charles Barkley wants to know if LeBron James is compensating for his hairline with a beard

LeBron was famously in conversation with the TNT guys at the in-stadium studio back in 2018. This was after an All-Star Game in which he earned his final MVP trophy for the game.

James was by far the most efficient scorer of the All-Stars in the first playground-style Game in years. His 29-point haul allowed Team LeBron to get back in the game after giving up an early deficit.

They held on and were able to block a game-winning shot attempt from James Harden to end things. LeBron was in a buoyant mood as he talked to Shaq and Kenny about the chances his Cavs had at winning the East.

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Chuck couldn’t help but chip in with the joke question of the night in the end:

“Ok, so we’ve noticed you and Ernie have in common. As y’all started losing a little up top, y’all started growing little beards. What the hell is that about?”

LeBron’s answer was as gracious as it could get. The man cheerfully played along with all the banter going on in the studio to cement one of the most memorable All-Star Game moments ever.

About the author

Amulya Shekhar

Amulya Shekhar

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Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically.

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