NBA superstar LeBron James is used to doing superhuman things on the basketball court, but recently confided he wishes he could do things “regular people” do when off the hardwood.
James, who is on the verge of breaking the all-time career record for points scored and has been outspoken on social issues, told The New York Times that being one of the most recognizable athletes in the world has a price.
“I don’t want to say it ever becomes too much, but there are times when I wish I could do normal things,” James said. “I wish I could just walk outside. I wish I could just, like, walk into a movie theater and sit down and go to the concession stand and get popcorn. I wish I could just go to an amusement park just like regular people. I wish I could go to Target sometimes and walk into Starbucks and have my name on the cup just like regular people.”
James, whose net worth has been estimated at over $1 billion, seemed to acknowledge that self-pity might be a bad look for a star, especially one who has earned nearly as many jeers for his woke hectoring as cheers for his skills.
“I’m not sitting here complaining about it, of course not,” he said. “But it can be challenging at times.”
In October, James warned Twitter CEO Elon Musk after a Washington Post report claimed that since Musk took over Twitter there had been a 500% increase in the use of the n-word. “I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary AF. So many damn unfit people saying hate speech is free speech,” James tweeted.
I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. But I will say that if this is true, I hope he and his people take this very seriously because this is scary AF. So many damn unfit people saying hate speech is free speech. https://t.co/Sy0jvXIBnC
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 29, 2022
Musk responded by quoting Yoel Roth, Twitter’s Head of Safety & Integrity, who revealed, “Nearly all of these accounts are inauthentic. We’ve taken action to ban the users involved in this trolling campaign — and are going to continue working to address this in the days to come to make Twitter safe and welcoming for everyone.”
James’ outspokenness has included posting a photograph on social media of the police officer who shot and killed a 16-year-old girl who was about to stab another child in Columbus, Ohio, according to police. He wrote, “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY.” The photograph was accompanied by an emoji of an hour glass, apparently indicating that time was running out.
Last July, James called Boston sports fans “racist as f***.” The same month, he said WNBA star Brittney Griner, who at the time was being detained in Russia, should rethink whether she wanted to return to America freed from Russia, stating, “Now, how can she feel like America has her back? I would be feeling like, ‘Do I even want to go back to America?’”
James has also been heavily criticized for his silence on slave labor in China, where the NBA has lucrative deals for programming and apparel.
Related: LeBron James Posts Photo Of Cop Who Protected Black Girl From Being Stabbed: ‘YOU’RE NEXT’