LeBron James appeared completely unfazed as a fan rushed on stage and tried to approach him during his recent visit to China.
The Los Angeles Lakers star recently competed a tour of the country, which included stops in Shanghai and Chengdu. The trip was the 15th of his career to China, as part of Nike’s Forever King Tour.
During one of the events on the tour, the Lakers star was on stage answering questions from supporters – when one fan attempted to run up to him.
However, security quickly intervened and dragged the fan off stage. The whole time, LeBron stood was a muted expression, as he appeared unfazed at the interaction.
The incident quickly went viral on social media as fans praised the 40-year-old for keeping his composure despite the chaos that ensued.
Some fans, meanwhile, questioned how the fan was so easily able to jump the barriers and make his way on stage, nearly reaching the four-time NBA MVP.
LeBron James appeared unfazed as a fan attempted to approach him at an event in China
The veteran NBA star simply offered a smile as security escorted the man off the stage
Elsewhere during his trip to China, LeBron co-wrote an op-ed for the Communist Party’s national newspaper – in hopes of strengthening ties between the US and the world’s most populous country.
‘Basketball is not only a sport, but also a bridge that connects us,’ James wrote, along with a reporter from the People’s Daily. ‘The passion flows in our hearts.’
‘I also have three children and I know that basketball can inspire generations of people to pursue their dreams,’ James wrote, according to a translation from the South China Morning Post.
‘Seeing so many young basketball lovers in China, I hope I can also contribute to the development of Chinese basketball.’
James has been a highly paid Nike athlete since breaking into the NBA in 2003 – about 15 years after the apparel giant began manufacturing its products in China to reduce labor costs.
The company has denied sourcing products from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), while reiterating its commitment to avoiding the use of products from forced labor in its supply chains.
Furthermore, Nike works with the Fair Labor Association and the Better Work Programme to monitor conditions at its factories abroad, according to a company statement. However, critics have taken issue with the company’s ability to audit its suppliers and Nike itself has acknowledged challenges in monitoring foreign suppliers using migrant labor.
‘NIKE frequently convenes supplier events, or learning communities, designed to share information on NIKE expectations, developments on local policies/legislation, and other sustainability and labor best practices, including those related to management of migrant workers, a challenge that is faced by many of our suppliers and vendors in countries where it is common to recruit workers cross-border,’ read a 2022 statement.
Fans on social media were quick to praise the Lakers star for being unfazed in the moment
Lakers star LeBron James is seen on his recent tour of China – his 15th trip to the country
LeBron James attends a fan meeting during his 2025 China Tour on September 5
James and the NBA came under scrutiny in the US and in Hong Kong in October 2019 after then-Houston Rockets executive Daryl Morey voiced support for protestors against the communist regime.
‘Fight for freedom,’ the graphic in Morey’s post read, ‘Stand with Hong Kong.’
At the time, James’ Lakers were set to play a pair of preseason games in China as anti-government protestors in Hong Kong were facing crackdowns from Beijing.
Then, upon returning to the US, James attacked Morey over the post, saying the executive was ‘misinformed’ about the situation in Hong Kong.
‘I don’t want to get into a [verbal] feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn’t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke,’ James said.
In a subsequent Twitter post, James added: ‘I do not believe there was any consideration for the consequences and ramifications of the tweet. I’m not discussing the substance. Others can talk about that.’
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