LeBron James, the NBA icon, made an announcement on Wednesday that he is stepping away from social media for the time being. Citing his growing concerns about the “negative” nature of coverage in the U.S. media, James, who has a massive following of 212 million across Instagram and X, decided to take a break after resonating with a post by Rich Kleiman, long-time agent of NBA star Kevin Durant.
Kleiman shared his frustration with the prevailing tone of negativity in sports media, stating, “With so much hate and negativity in the world today, it confuses me why some national sports outlets still believe negative commentary is the best way to cover sports. I think it’s a waste of breath.” LeBron James echoed his thoughts by sharing Kleiman’s post and adding a supportive comment: “AMEN!!”
Shortly after, the 39-year-old superstar confirmed his social media hiatus, writing, “And with that said, I’ll holla at y’all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y’all take care.”
This isn’t the first time James has taken a break from social platforms. In the past, he has paused his online presence to focus on his basketball career. His recent comments following the Lakers’ exciting win over Utah, where rookie Dalton Knecht shone, suggested his frustration with online criticism. Despite acknowledging Knecht’s impressive collegiate career at Tennessee, James shared his own frustrations, remarking, “Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time. They say I lie about everything. So what am I now? I’ve been said it. I watched him. I watched Tennessee a lot.”
As James takes time off from social media, fans and followers will have to wait for his next update from one of the greatest to ever play the game.
