Basketball superstar LeBron James has endured some backlash following what some fans describe as an awkward interaction between him and a young fan in France.
He won the third gold medal of his career at the just-ended 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Nonetheless, footage, available on social media showed the four-time NBA champion getting out of a sprinter van with his gold medal around his neck, avoiding a young boy who seemingly wanted an autograph.
The Los Angeles Lakers player was said to have chastised the boy, while other people in the area were heard saying “congratulations.”
LeBron tells a kid to back up in Paris 😳 pic.twitter.com/rVeIu7r43S
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The encounter has since attracted mixed reactions on social media, with some followers criticizing LeBron.
“…Look at him gesturing and belittling that little kid. This boy is a child who idolizes him, and he couldn’t give him a second of his time. Sickening!” a critic wrote.
Other comments compared the father of three to other high-profile athletes who had been more receptive in such instances.
Some fans of James, however, jumped to his defense, saying the celebrity should have been allowed “some privacy and room to maneuver while in public.”
“A person’s personal space is important, no matter if they are famous or not. They are humans as well. Did he do anything wrong? No. Could he have been a little more polite, yeah, sure. But there is no fault here. Keep it moving!” a follower said.
“Why was that kid not in bed… Where is his parents,?” another inquired.
The debate over the incident took a racial turn because the child in the clip appeared to be Caucasian.
