Lightning never strikes the same place twice, but for LeBron James, it sure feels close. During Wednesday’s NBA Cup matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, he once again found himself at the center of a courtside incident. What fans are calling a growing pattern ended with a female fan being escorted out of Crypto.com Arena, adding more tension to an already heated night.

The altercation occurred while James sat on the bench during the Lakers’ 129-119 victory. A brief verbal exchange between James and a courtside spectator prompted arena security to intervene. The woman was visibly upset as officials escorted her from her seat while pleading her case.

“LeBron just had words with a lady, and she got kicked out.” A fan captured the moment and posted it on social media with the caption. The video showed LeBron James barely reacting, even as the crowd gathered around the lady and the security officials in charge.

The incident sparked immediate reactions across social media platforms. One observer noted, “Every two years LeBron has beef with a woman in the stands,” highlighting what appears to be a pattern throughout James’s career. In the past, James had a ‘conversation’ with a couple of fans wearing ‘FUK LBJ’ shirts during his first return to Cleveland as a member of the Heat.

Another sentiment that caught the attention was James’ calm demeanor during the ejection, writing, “Yo, I love when he gets these Karens kicked out of games lmao.” The clip of James clipping his nails while security removed the fan quickly became a viral moment.

This marks at least the fifth documented incident of James confronting female spectators throughout his 23-year career. The Crypto.com Arena code of conduct prohibits “disruptive behavior, including foul language or obscene gestures,” which typically results in immediate ejection without refund.

Leaving behind the drama, the Lakers secured their sixth straight win, completing group play with a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament. James finished with 13 points and 7 assists in 35 minutes. The game also marked Anthony Davis’s first appearance in Los Angeles since the Mavericks acquired him in the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade.

LeBron James went viral for an interaction with a heckler in 2024

The Mavericks game ejection follows another viral moment from last season’s playoffs. During Game 5 against Denver, James made a fan flinch after she called him a “crybaby.” The interaction began when James complained to the referees about missed calls. A courtside woman mocked him with crying gestures and repeated the “crybaby” taunt.

James responded with a fake jump scare toward the woman, causing her to flinch in her seat. He laughed at her reaction and called her “scary a–” as the game continued. The moment generated widespread social media attention during the Lakers‘ playoff elimination.

Another notable incident occurred in February 2021 against Atlanta. Juliana Carlos was ejected after confronting James during a Lakers-Hawks game. She claimed James told her to “sit the f down, b—-” during their exchange.

James later tweeted, “Courtside Karen was MAD MAD” about the incident. Interestingly, he initially stated he didn’t believe the ejection was warranted, saying, “I miss that interaction. I need that interaction.”

Just nine months later, James had two fans removed during a game in Indiana. He pointed them out to officials during overtime of a Lakers victory. Reports suggested the female fan made inappropriate comments about James’s son, Bronny, though this was never confirmed.

The pattern continues with a 2023 incident where a Clippers fan heckled James about his hairline at halftime. Security intervened as James appeared ready to confront the spectator, though no ejection occurred.