LeBron James Bashed After Sipping Wine From a Sixers Fan's Cup Mid-Game In Viral Clip

LeBron James has sparked a social media backlash after taking a sip of wine from a Philadelphia 76ers fan's cup during the team's 126-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls, with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy questioning the example the NBA superstar was setting for younger viewers.

The 41-year-old's unexpected courtside interaction quickly went viral, with some fans celebrating the moment while others criticised the four-time NBA champion for appearing to drink alcohol during a professional basketball game.

LeBron Takes Unexpected Sip

The incident occurred during the third quarter of Monday's game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

James was chasing a fast-break pass from Tyrese Maxey when the ball sailed beyond his reach and out of bounds. The 22-time All-Star lost his balance and stumbled into the stands, colliding with a fan holding a cup of wine.

After apologising for spilling the spectator's drink, James picked up the cup, took a quick sip and returned to the court.

The moment was captured by several cameras and circulated widely online, with viewers surprised by the seemingly spontaneous interaction.

James later explained the incident, saying: 'I crashed into him, spilled some of his wine. So I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm and how good it was. It was alright.'

The fan, identified as Troy Clemons, told ESPN that James had apologised before taking a sip of his drink.

Clemons said he was not upset by the encounter and had no intention of keeping the cup as a souvenir. 'At the end of the day, he's another man like me,' Clemons said. 'He's LeBron, but at the end of the day, I threw that cup in the trash.'

Dave Portnoy Questions Example Set for Children

Although many fans found the incident amusing, others were less impressed, with Portnoy among those criticising James. The Barstool Sports founder questioned whether another player would receive the same treatment from sports media if they had taken a sip of alcohol during a live game.

'If anybody else did this they'd be checked into AA but because it's Bron Bron Sportcenter will do an hour special on it,' Portnoy said on X. 'Who cares the example it sets for kids that you need to be drunk to play sports?'

Other viewers pushed back against Portnoy's criticism, with one social media user writing: 'We grow up watching stone cold you soft p***y.'

Essentially Sports also highlighted Clemons' decision to discard the cup, remarking: 'And that fan THREW that cup away!!!' Another viewer joked: 'Bro paused a live NBA game for a wine tasting sommelier minutes are officially a stat now.'

However, other fans defended James, describing the moment as harmless and praising his relaxed interaction with the Philadelphia crowd.

Sixers Extend Winning Streak as James Enjoys New Chapter

The viral incident came during another impressive performance from James, who finished with 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Philadelphia defeated Chicago 126-107, improving its record to 7-1 and extending its winning streak to four games.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 26 points, while the team's strong start has fuelled optimism surrounding its new-look roster.