LeBron James got a taste of his favorite red wine during a game on Monday night, when he collided with a fan who was carrying a cup of it. The Philadelphia 76ers went on to beat the Chicago Bulls 126-107.
James, who has said he drinks a glass of wine a day and partly credits it for his longevity, was chasing a loose ball in the third quarter with Philadelphia leading by 11 points. He ran into the fan, and the wine splashed onto the court. James then took a sip. “I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm, how good it was. It was all right,” he 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 did not mind 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.”
James Finishes With Playful Performance
James finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, and the Sixers improved to 7-1. He also danced after an and-one layup by guard Tyrese Maxey, which sent Maxey into fits of laughter. Moments later, when Maxey converted an and-one of his own, James danced with him again. He also passed to teammates in tight windows throughout the night.
The night appeared to be the most fun James has had since joining Philadelphia. “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.”
James also credited the crowd. “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.”
Not the First Alcohol Moment
This was 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 play the Detroit Pistons next on Wednesday. Detroit handed Philadelphia its only loss so far this season.