LA Lakers star LeBron James gave an unexpected response to a reporter when seeing his Manchester United-themed jacket.
James, 40, is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time alongside Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Steph Curry but also boasts an interest in football – or soccer as he may call it.
The veteran forward ripped into an NBA journalist after spotting that he was wearing a Manchester United jacket.
“That’s a horrible jacket by the way,” James said. “Oh my God, that is a horrible jacket!”
He then jokingly pretended to rip the jacket off Mike Trudell, who saw the funny side of the exchange – which you can view here.
Of course, the reason for this was likely down to the fact James owns a minority stake in Premier League leaders Liverpool, thought to be around a two percent share of the club, which he purchased for $6.5m with his business partner Maverick Carter in 2011.
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in soccer,” James said in 2011. “I’m a huge fan of the game and I’m proud to be a part of the Liverpool Football Club. It’s a historic and world-renowned club, and it’s a privilege to be involved.”
LeBron James (right) at Anfield in 2011 (Credit:Getty)
He later visited Anfield – Liverpool’s home stadium – and described it as one of the best experiences of his life, as reported by Liverpool.com.
“That came from the simple fact of how passionate and loyal those fans are,” he added. “But to walk through the facility the day before – to see all the history and achievements was very powerful.
“Liverpool have won 18 league championships (now 19) and it meant a lot to read about King Kenny and Steven Gerrard – a hometown kid who now captains the team.”
“Liverpool are definitely one of those clubs,” James continued. “They really are like Man United – and the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Yankees. There are some teams and logos you see, no matter where you are in the world, and you know exactly who they are and what they mean. I see Liverpool in that group.”
His loyalty even went as far as sending former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp a thank you message after he announced he was leaving the club at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Featured Image Credit: MikeTrudell/IG
Topics: Lebron James, NBA, Manchester United, Football, Premier League
