LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was criticized on Wednesday night after he was seen stepping on to the court with no shoes on to celebrate teammate Kyle Kuzma blocking the Utah Jazz from scoring .
Jazz announcers were heard slamming LeBron for the move. "Look at LeBron, he’s on the court. With no shoes… What is going on here? That’s some disrespect right there."
“Look at LeBron, he’s on the court. With no shoes… that’s some disrespect right there.”
Jazz announcers weren't having it 😂 pic.twitter.com/mG0phvgDAd
LeBron is out here jumping around on the court with no shoes on in the middle of the game💀 pic.twitter.com/UnTh5KIqQJ
Utah announcers angry LeBron w/o shoes & celebrating on the bench. "That's some disrespect. They are clowning right now.... if you're the Jazz you have to watch that and put that in your head for the next time you play. You don't come into someone else's building & wow"
The Lakers' Twitter account pointed out that LeBron gifted his shoes to a pair of young fans, which explains why he was seen in his socks.
A King on and off the court. #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/TKp0LsVnmO
While some came after LeBron for the move, others showed their support or general amusement at the situation.
LeBron had just given his shoes to a couple fans whose lives to this point were made by the move so you can shove that “disrespect” right back up your ass.
Not getting rolled and forcing LeBron to wear his shoes in the fourth is also an option. https://t.co/9cqhrlySkW
Jazz announcers complaing that the refs should do something about LeBron allowing someone to come on the court to get some shoes he was giving away lmao
LeBron James is enjoying watching the Lakers reserve clean up this win. He's jumping up and down with his shoes off in his socks. Funny.
*Lebron travels and double dribbles in the same play, then cheers on the court during a play with no shoes on*
Jazz announcers: pic.twitter.com/c7vTr9yM8y
I was dying when they complained about LeBron not having shoes on
Them Utah announcers kept a cool head all game but LeBron dancing ok n the sideline with no shoes was the STRAW😫😫😫 I felt bad for them man😭😭😭😭 hilarious
Earlier in the night, the game's refs were criticized for not calling a travel on LeBron.
LeBron got away with one 😅 pic.twitter.com/Uv4uMKKcDi
The refs really ignored a blatant travel AND double dribble by Bron 😂 pic.twitter.com/Gu5ne9NbNs
After the game, James called the travel "one of the worst things" he's ever done in his career. "I didn't realise I did it until halftime. One of my coaches showed me," he told reporters. "I feel bad for the refs on that one because they'll probably get a write-up on that or something. That was pretty bad," James added.
James went on to explain how he could've made such an egregious error. "I think at the same time, I was watching the underneath play, and KCP and Donovan got into it. KCP started to run, and Donovan bumped into him, he fell on the ground," he added. "I think I was ready to pass the ball and my brain just kind of just... I had a malfunction. I really had a malfunction."
The final score was 121-96.
LeBron went on to comment on the shoe incident on Thursday on Instagram. "Negativity, bad energy, hate, envy, etc etc will try to bring you down throughout your journey and it’s up to you on how you handle it," part of his caption read.
