LeBron James Grabs Referee in On-Court Meltdown, No Ejection

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Tensions boiled over in a heated moment during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, leading to LeBron James physically “grabbing” an NBA referee.

It seems James, who once tried to intimidate a journalist by the name of Stephen A. Smith into favorable coverage of him and his barely basketball-capable son, Bronny, and was never punished by the league for his actions, let his emotions get the better of him once again.

The incident began between James and Dillon Brooks, who, in the third quarter, after losing control of the ball, swatted it back onto the court, barely grazing “The King” and prompting an explosive reaction from the Lakers star.

James got into Brooks’ face, attempted to follow him, and had to be restrained by teammates and officials before turning his frustration on a referee. And that didn’t go very well.

The legendary player gestured wildly in the face of the official, grabbing his arm and pulling him. Nah, my man. You can’t do that. Under any circumstances.

LeBron James fake tough guy act

Where to begin on this fiasco? Let’s start with the fake tough guy act. LeBron James is the biggest flopper in the history of the league, sans Vlade Divac, and yet, when he’s comfortably standing behind a teammate, suddenly gets beer muscles … against a referee.

Cute, man.

That said, we did try to warn you on this. Bounding into Sports reported that his theatrics would likely escalate when he got off scot free after getting in the face of Stephen A. Smith.

LeBron should very easily have been fined or suspended for his behavior in trying to intimidate a reporter into glowing coverage of him and his barely basketball-capable son.

Had any other player in the league angrily confronted a reporter to the point where it could have become physical, they would have been fined.

LeBron went after Smith in a highly contentious public moment because the basketball analyst pointed out that Bronny isn’t, nor will he ever be, a real NBA player. Something he has every right to opine on.

What’s to stop him from doing this to another reporter?

Anyone remember that? It wasn’t a reporter, sure. But it was perhaps worse, going after a referee. LeBron’s cowardly attack against Smith should have been met with more disdain than it was by other media members. And frankly, it should have resulted in some punishment from the league.

James’s effort to get in Smith’s face, towering over him in a threatening manner, would have received a second look by the league if it were anybody else. Instead, they did nothing.

Now look at where we are.

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LeFlop to get punished?

Here again, on the ‘had it been any other player’ front, grabbing a referee in any manner, let alone a threatening manner, would have earned an immediate ejection for 99.9% of players in the league.

James, though, was given a technical and not removed from the game.

In fact, it was Brooks who was later ejected after receiving a second technical for bumping LeBron James following a go-ahead three-pointer.

The Daily Mail reports that “it is expected that James will be punished by the league for his actions.”

Is it, though? They don’t exactly have an extensive history of cracking down on the guy for his juvenile behavior.

The Lakers (18-7) went on to win the game, 118-116.