LeBron James took an impromptu sip of red wine during a Philadelphia 76ers game on Monday night, after colliding with a fan who was carrying a cup of his favourite wine.
The moment came in the third quarter against the Chicago Bulls, with the Sixers leading by 11 points. James was chasing a loose ball when he ran into the fan, and he took a sip from the cup.
“I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm, how good it was. It was all right,” James said with a smile.
The fan, Troy Clemons, is a longtime Sixers season-ticket holder who grew up with Julius Erving’s sons. Clemons said he was not starstruck by the moment and was not upset that James took the sip.
“I’m just glad for him to be here,” Clemons said. “I’m not worried about the wine getting on me.”
The Sixers went on to win 126-107, improving to 7-1. James finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
A night of fun on the floor
The wine sip was not the only lighter moment. James danced after an and-one layup that sent guard Tyrese Maxey into hysterical laughter, then danced with Maxey moments later when the point guard completed an and-one of his own. He also passed to teammates in tight windows throughout the night.
On the surface, it appeared to be the most fun James has had since joining the Sixers.
“Listen, it’s a long marathon. If you don’t find ways to have fun throughout it, even though you’re working, even though you’re locked in, then it could wear on you,” he said. “So for me, especially at this point in my career too, being able to just appreciate the moments, the small moments.
“These fans are great to us. We try to be great to them as well by playing the game the right way, playing the game hard, and then also just being a showman as well. But it was a great game for us.”
A history with drinks on court
This is not the first time James has had an incident involving alcohol during a game. In Game 1 of the 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals, he missed an and-one layup, then playfully grabbed a beer bottle from a vendor’s hand, made a motion as if to take a sip, and handed it back.
The Sixers next face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Detroit handed Philadelphia its only loss so far this season.