NBA player LeBron James received a barrage of criticism on social media Tuesday for hinting that he would make a big announcement about his future that turned out to be an ad campaign for an alcoholic beverage brand.
Unexpectedly on Monday, James posted on his social media that he would make an announcement, which he labeled “the decision of all decisions,” this Tuesday at 16.00 GMT.
Deceives fans with false advertisement
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The message sparked all kinds of speculation in the media and among fans, especially about a possible announcement of his retirement from the courts:
LeBron James is 40 years old and has been in the NBA for 22 seasons.
But to the astonishment of friends and strangers alike, the supposedly transcendental decision remained a publicity stunt by a brand of alcoholic beverages.
The “revelation” was harshly criticized by followers on the same social network LeBron used to create false expectations.
Strong criticism for promoting alcohol
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Many began to associate LeBron James with alcoholism and others questioned his role as a role model among younger people for promoting an alcoholic beverage in the early morning hours in the United States.
“Why are you promoting alcohol in our community? It hasn’t done any good, but I’m sure you don’t care, because you’re getting paid, right?” one of the fans sentenced.
“A crappy ad? Son of a bitch,” denounced another of the social network X users while another joked:
“I divorced my wife, quit my job, moved to Los Angeles and bought a season pass for THIS?”.
Another stated, “There were little kids at my son’s school this morning talking about this. They are going to be so disenchanted to learn that it was just a commercial for something they are too young for.”
More than 900 million dollars in his career
LeBron James’ motivation for creating false expectations among his fans and advertising alcohol is unclear.
In the last five seasons, the player has earned $221 million in salary.
Added to that figure are advertising deals. In 2024, Forbes estimated that LeBron James earned another $80 million in sponsorships.
In his entire career, the same publication estimates that LeBron James has earned some $900 million between sponsorships, business investments and other initiatives.
With information from EFE
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