Craig Carton and Michael Rapaport, hosts of the newly launched "The Craig Carton Show" on OutKick, have publicly shared their strong dislike for NBA player LeBron James.
During the premiere episode, which aired Tuesday, Rapaport described James as a player he "loves to hate." Carton stated that while he respects James' on-court abilities, his primary reason for disapproval stems from an incident in 2017.
Carton recounted that during a period of racial tension in the United States, James reported that his home's gate had been spray-painted with racial epithets. Carton expressed skepticism about the incident's veracity, suggesting James may have fabricated it to insert himself into the national conversation on race. "In my opinion, he invented a story that the people spray-painted racial epithets on the gate leading up his driveway," Carton said.
The Associated Press reported at the time that police documented vandalism with the N-word on the gate of James' Brentwood home. Law enforcement stated no arrests were made, and property management covered the graffiti. Carton asserted that this alleged fabrication made James "dead to me."
Rapaport's dislike for James is more personal. He explained that he had previously been on good terms with James, meeting him during his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, years later, Rapaport brought his young children, then aged five and seven, to meet James, but claims James refused to take a picture with them.
"I brought my little kids. They were like five and seven, right? And he like Heismaned," Rapaport said. He added that prior to this encounter, he had never spoken negatively about James. "And that was when I was like, ‘You’re done,’" Rapaport stated.
Both Carton and Rapaport are noted fans of the New York Knicks. With James recently joining the Philadelphia 76ers, they anticipate seeing more of him during the upcoming NBA season, as the 76ers are scheduled to play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden early in the season. "The Craig Carton Show" debuted on September 8, 2026, and features guests discussing sports and current events.