LeBron James Joins Michael Phelps & More to Welcome $450M Star in Off-Court Obsession

For the rulers of the hardwood, golf is a weekend getaway. Steph Curry, D Wade, Michael Jordan, everyone loves a golf swing. But back in 2013, the world got a weirdly hilarious sight: LeBron James, basketball’s biggest superstar, taking golf tips… from Kevin Hart. Yep, the comedian was schooling the King in a Samsung commercial, even filming his clumsy, Barkley-style swings like a serious coach. Who would’ve thought LeBron needed lessons from Kevin? Fast forward, and the story flips—LeBron’s been hitting the greens a lot lately, and now it looks like he’s the one ready to give Kevin a lesson or two.

The $450 million actor-comedian, Kevin Hart, just hopped on the golf train and shared his first-ever round on Instagram. He wrote, “I can’t believe that it took me this long to play this damn game…. I just got bit by the bug and I f—– LOVE IT!!!!!!!!” Naturally, golf fans were hyped to welcome him, and celebs didn’t hold back either, cheering him on all the way. Looks like Kevin’s officially part of the golf club now! But amid all, one name caught the eye. The King.

LeBron James was quick to welcome Kevin Hart to golf, commenting, “Welcome, my brother!! The bug is REAL!!” This offseason, while the Lakers scrambled to keep him on board, LeBron has been busy with his new hobby. Over the 4th of July, he shared a video of himself swinging on the greens—his form wasn’t perfect, but he went wild when he made good contact, even throwing some court-style trash talk. Later in August, he was spotted on a golf trip with Bronny, sharing a clip in a cart with the caption, “James Sr & Jr,” followed by two crown emojis. Another video had him simply saying, “Addicted.” Looks like golf might be LeBron’s new obsession. LeBron and Kevin Hart are clearly finding a new way to bond, especially after their recent football collab. But LeBron wasn’t the only one dropping comments—Michael Phelps chimed in too: “I see you! ⛳” The Olympic legend has been hooked on golf for years, telling Boardroom, “I’m just obsessed.” He even got his wife into the game and admits he’s fiercely competitive, always up for a match with anyone he can play with. With that comment, you can almost picture a Hart vs. Phelps showdown on the greens, as Phelps clearly ‘sees’ Hart as a worthy competitor.

Another celeb joining the fun in the comments was former NFL star Victor Cruz, who wrote,

“Welcome to golf, my brother.” Cruz, who picked up the game during the pandemic, even won his first tournament in April 2025—the Ace Shootout, a celebrity event supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The celebration didn’t stop.

Former NFL player Stevan Ridley wrote, “Yeaaa Kev!! On the dance floor putting too..? Aight! 💪🏾🥳” Ridley, an avid golfer, often shares videos on Instagram and even brings his father to the greens. But Hart better be ready—remember back in 2023 when the 5-foot-2 comedian challenged Ridley to a foot race? It didn’t end well, and Kevin ended up injured, so maybe walking the course won’t be a problem… yet.

Golf in rear view, LeBron and Kevin Hart bring hype to Football betting

LeBron James and Kevin Hart are at it again, mixing sports and entertainment like only they can. One weekend, LeBron retweeted a photo from the ACC Network showing Florida State’s 2025 opener with quarterback Tommy Castellanos scoring the Seminoles’ first touchdown. Fans immediately knew he wasn’t just scrolling for fun. Soon after, he teamed up with Hart in a video hyping a new football partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook.

LeBron explained how DraftKings gave away $50,000 last year to kick off the NFL season and that this September, they’d be handing out $1,000 bonus bets every single day. Hart added that at the end of the month, four lucky winners would get $5,000 bonus bets each. LeBron wrapped it up, telling fans all they had to do was follow DraftKings Sportsbook and comment on their favorite anytime touchdown of the week.

Of course, LeBron and Hart have been mixing sports and laughs for a while. Their 2024 DraftKings campaign had Hart joking about LeBron trading basketball for football, and LeBron played along while hyping NFL betting offers. Earlier in 2025, they teamed up for the mobile puzzle game Royal Kingdom, releasing six ads between April 14 and June 16. In the “Conspiracy” spot, LeBron pretended to read classic literature to hide his gaming obsession, while Hart’s “Acting School” ad had him training actors to impersonate him so he could game more. Their chemistry keeps the humor alive while hyping the brands. But LeBron’s offseason isn’t just about collaborations with Hart.

In July 2025, Misko Raznatovic, Jokic’s European agent, posted a photo of himself with LeBron and his business partner, Maverick Carter, on a Saint-Tropez yacht, captioned: “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!” Front Office Sports reported that the meeting focused on launching an international basketball league, aiming to raise $5 billion with backing from investors like the Singapore government and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. LeBron’s involvement would lend unmatched credibility, showing his influence extends well beyond the court.