Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy criticized LeBron James for drinking a fan's wine during the Philadelphia 76ers' victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. James took a sip from a fan's cup of red wine in the third quarter after colliding with the spectator while trying to save a ball.
Portnoy shared a video of the incident on X (formerly Twitter), commenting, "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." He questioned the example James sets for children, adding, "Who cares the example it sets for kids that you need to be drunk to play sports?"
James, known for his appreciation of wine, explained his actions after the game. "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 all right," James told reporters. He finished the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.
Portnoy later reposted a video of James' explanation, stating, "The man sees wine. He has no impulse control. He has to taste it in the middle of working. But nah he doesnt have a problem. He’s not screaming out for help. Im the crazy one."
The fan whose wine James sampled, Troy Clemons, told ESPN that James apologized after spilling the drink. "At the end of the day he’s another man like me. I mean he’s LeBron, but at the end of the day, I threw that cup in the trash. And it’s nothing up with him, I just got a fresh drink though."
During the game's broadcast, the Sixers announcers noted, "He didn’t take a drink. It looked like it." This incident echoes a 2018 instance where James was seen with a glass of wine at a Lakers game while injured.