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LeBron James seemingly confirmed his cannabis-themed celebration during Sunday night’s game between the Lakers and the Rockets.
James had much to celebrate, as the Lakers claimed a dramatic 105–104 victory and he became the only teammate to hit 40 minutes on the court. After making a three-pointer in the second quarter, he appeared to mime smoking a blunt and passing it to fellow Laker Christian Wood.
The seemingly innocuous gesture sent social media alight. “They could do a two-hour 30 for 30 just on LeBron’s handshakes,” wrote user @toneyjetson. “I’m gonna smoke weed now because my idol LeBron did this,” another said, presumably joking. Many took the opportunity to coin a new nickname for the athlete, dubbing him “LeBud.”
ESPN host Stephen A. Smith took to X (formerly Twitter) to gently rib King James. “Don’t even make me say it,” Smith wrote in reference to his recurring advice for athletes which has become something of a catchphrase.
In 2020, the NBA announced that it would be disallowing league officials from randomly testing for marijuana, but initially, the plan was temporary. Earlier this year, the NBA definitively stopped penalizing players for marijuana use and ceased testing for the drug. The Athletic was the first to report the news.
If anyone has earned a toke, it’s LeBron James. Currently in his 21st season, the NBA superstar led last night’s scorers, netting 37 points on a 14-of-19 shooting effort. He also made eight assists, six rebounds, and three steals during his time on the court.
Not every player was so lucky. During halftime, a Lakers fan injured his ankle as he attempted to nail a half-court shot for a chance at $55,000.
