LeBron James opened the Philadelphia 76ers’ scoring with a fast-break dunk after missing the Saturday contest. He finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, shooting 6-of-13 from the field. His plus-30 rating was the second-best on the team. The four-time NBA champion checked out with 2:03 remaining. But Bron dominated the headlines after viral interaction with a fan.
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The unusual moment unfolded with Philadelphia holding a nine-point advantage and 7:30 remaining in the game. Tyrese Maxey sent a long pass ahead in transition, but James couldn’t get his hands on it. Instead, he ended up colliding with a spectator near the sideline. What happened next quickly became the night’s most talked-about moment.
LeBron James appeared to grab the fan’s drink, take a sip, and hand it back before returning to the action. “LeBron’s getting a drink out of the fan’s cup. Are you kidding me? Well, you can’t do that,” one broadcaster remarked.
His colleague added, “He considers himself to be a little bit of a sommelier, a wine connoisseur if you will.”
The first commentator wasn’t entirely convinced about what James had just consumed. “That better be non alcoholic beverage,” he joked. The second broadcaster continued playing along, suggesting the newest 76ers star might get special treatment.
“I guess you get a free pass when you’re twice the legal drinking age; I imagine you get the pass. I don’t know what that was that he took a sip of, but if it was a glass of wine, I think he’s the one that’s allowed to do it more than anybody else.”
This isn’t the first time LeBron James has played around with a drink during an NBA game. Back in 2017, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs, he pretended to take a sip from a beer courtside. That incident didn’t result in any apparent disciplinary action from the league.
There is also another example from Philadelphia’s own history. In 2019, Mike Scott found himself in a similar situation during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. While chasing a loose ball, Scott tumbled into the stands, grabbed a fan’s drink, took an actual sip, and immediately returned to the court. The NBA reviewed the footage but ultimately decided against penalizing him.
While the NBA rulebook does not specifically prohibit players from taking a sip of an alcoholic beverage during a game, the league still has disciplinary authority. Article 35(c) of the NBA Constitution allows the Commissioner to fine a player up to $100,000 for conduct during a game deemed prejudicial to the best interests of the league or basketball.
Still, the precedents involving LeBron James in 2017 and Mike Scott in 2019 suggest that the league has little reason to fine the 41-year-old. One spectator nearby had her phone raised and burst into laughter, her mouth wide open as she watched James take the unexpected sip.
Others in the section also erupted. The fan eventually got to explain his side of the story. ESPN’s Kris Rhim identified him as Troy Clemons, a longtime season-ticket holder who reportedly grew up alongside the son of franchise legend Julius Erving.
“Walking to my seat, you know, whatever this beverage is, we won’t say what it is,” Clemons recalled the encounter with plenty of amusement. “LeBron crashed into me, he grabbed me, and he said, ‘My bad.’ My drink spilled everywhere. He took my drink from me and he basically just took a sip of it, gave it back and ran back on the field. You know what I mean? I’m just glad for him to be here.”
LeBron James also addressed the incident afterward, confirming that he had a sip from the drink that belonged to Clemons.
“I spilled some of his wine. 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.”
The performance followed his strongest outing in a Philadelphia uniform. Against the New York Knicks in Friday’s NBA Cup matchup, James recorded 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
It was his first 20-point performance of the season and left him just two assists shy of a triple-double. At 41, James continues to make headlines for what he does on the court.