LeBron James Takes Break from Social Media Over “Negative Takes”

NBA star LeBron James announced on Wednesday that he is stepping away from social media indefinitely, citing frustration with the “negative” coverage in U.S. sports media. The 39-year-old, who has a combined 212 million followers across his Instagram and X accounts, shared his decision after reposting a comment by Rich Kleiman, the longtime agent of NBA player Kevin Durant.

Kleiman’s post, shared on X (formerly Twitter), criticized the negative tone in national sports media. “With so much hate and negativity in the world today, it confuses me why some of the national sports media still think that the best way to cover sports is through negative takes,” Kleiman wrote. “I for one find it all a waste of breath.” James responded to the post with a simple “AMEN!!” before confirming he would be taking a break from social media, stating, “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 the Los Angeles Lakers forward has stepped back from social media, as he has previously taken breaks, often to focus on his basketball career. James had hinted at his dissatisfaction with online criticism following the Lakers’ victory over Utah on Tuesday, during which rookie Dalton Knecht scored 37 points. Speaking about Knecht’s performance, James remarked, “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.”