‘Shame on him’: LeBron James faces intense backlash for ‘rude’ interaction with young French fan; video goes viral

LeBron James received massive backlash after giving an unpleasant response to his young fan who tried to speak to him following the gold medal win of Team USA.

Published on: Aug 12, 2024, 15:51:56 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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LeBron James received massive backlash after giving an unpleasant response to his young fan who tried to speak to him following the gold medal win of Team USA in 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday.

LeBron James snapped at his young French fan while being on his way to a Paris club to celebrate gold win of Team USA. (AFP / Sameer Al-Doumy)

In a video footage that has gone viral on social media, James was captured being arrived at a location with his other team members to celebrate their 98-87 win against France.

The Lakers star can be seen dressed up in his USA Basketball t-shirt and gym shorts as he was on his way to the club. He became enraged immediately when a young fan tried to ask him for a picture. But, James cut off the kid with a harsh response.

“Stop, stop, stop,” James, 39, responded after the kid raised a camera to ask him a question. He further directed him: “Don't do that”.

James swiftly changed his mood to feel more at ease by breaking into a joyful dance move with a smile on his face. He then made his way to the restaurant's entrance as other onlookers extended their good wishes to him.

LeBron James faces heat for his ‘rude’ behaviour

Several fans on social media blasted James for the egregiously impolite encounter with a young French supporter.

Finding James fault for rejecting a photo-op from the French fan, one user on X wrote, “He has a moment to be a child’s hero and instead chose to destroy that. Shame on him.”

“LeBron James is so impetuous. He has no respect for the fans,” another reacted.

Also Read: Jordan Chiles' sister accuses Olympics of ‘racism’ after American gymnast stripped of bronze medal

“While the kid did block him, LeBron could've handled that in a much nicer way. It's yet another bad look for King James,” a third user wrote.

“Michael Jordan wouldn't have done that,” the fourth chimed in.

In contrast to the criticism, some of the users tried to sympathise with James' situation. While one commented, “He's not snapping”, another said, “He's asking him to stop. I couldn't imagine people being in my face like that.”

James scored 14 points to seal his third Olympic gold medal in a decisive 98-87 triumph over France.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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