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LeBron James’ new ad for Hennessy has resulted in a lawsuit against him.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer announced his “second decision” was a new signature bottle, but he had teased the announcement the day before, and many thought the “decision” would be a retirement at the end of the season.
After the teaser video was released, Andrew Garcia purchased two tickets to the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers – who drafted James in 2003 – for around $432 each on Ticketmaster, according to TMZ Sports.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James takes the court during Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Garcia told TMZ Sports that James owes him “fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and every basis for legal collection.”
“I wouldn’t have bought him if he wasn’t planning to retire. Plain and simple,” Garcia told the outlet.
According to StubHub, the average ticket price nearly doubled from $250 to $500 after the teaser video, with sales increasing 20-fold in the first hour after the announcement, primarily for the team’s final home game of the season.
A representative for James did not immediately respond to PK Press Club Digital’s request for comment.
In Monday’s teaser, James said the announcement would be “the decision of all decisions,” and speculation was rife as he prepared to soon begin his record-breaking 23rd NBA season.
Last week, James, 40, didn’t give much clarity on his eventual retirement plans.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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“I’m excited about the opportunity to be able to play the game I love for another season,” James said on September 29. “However the journey goes this year, I’m very invested, because I don’t know when the end will be. I know it’s much sooner rather than later.”
James has shown virtually no signs of slowing down. During his age 40 season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds. He had 10 triple-doubles last season – his most since 2019-20, when he won his fourth NBA championship.
After turning 40 on December 30, James averaged 25.1 points per game, the most of any player 40 or older.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James appears during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on February 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)
James became the first player in NBA history to play in the league along with his son, Bronny James, who was drafted by the Lakers last summer. The two played 21 games together.
