On this day two years ago, there were false reports that LeBron James and Colby Covington were involved in a mutual conflict.
LeBron James is one of the most famous individuals in the world. Widely recognized as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, James is also an actor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Recently, James has even joined the billionaire club, which is a true rarity for any athlete or celebrity to achieve.
Another label for LeBron James is that of an activist. James has never shied away from tackling sensitive subjects, especially those regarding racial equality and social justice. In part because of this, he has become something of a polarizing figure in the United States. And for many right-wing Americans like Colby Covington, he is another example of what is wrong with the country.
Covington was sure to tell LeBron James so in a post-fight interview two years ago. And media outlets reported that James responded to him. There’s just one problem: He never did.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 24, 2020, 2:45 PM]
Headline: No, LeBron James Did Not Respond to Colby Covington
Author: Clyde Aidoo
No, LeBron James did not issue a response to Colby Covington’s remarks over the weekend, contrary to a story circulating over the internet.
Following UFC on ESPN+ 36, Colby Covington spoke to reporters following his dominant victory over Tyron Woodley. “I want to dedicate this fight to all the first responders, all the military out there,” Covington said in his post-fight interview. “This world would not be safe without you guys, you keep us safe, and not these woke athletes. I’m sick of these spineless cowards like LeBron James.”
Another victory over the weekend was the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals due to a game-winning shot by Anthony Davis at the buzzer. In a scrum following the event, LeBron James allegedly responded to Colby Covington’s remarks by stating the following:
“Anybody can talk from outside but if they got into the ring or got into the arena, probably 10 times out of 10, they’d shit their pants.”
This sound bite was pulled from James, but what was not included in the sound bite, of course, was what specific question he was responding to. It turns out that James’s comments were in response to a question about athletes, like James’s teammate Anthony Davis, rising to the occasion under the pressure of big moments.
Sadly, this is yet another example of how quickly it is for some journalists and media members to run with a story for clicks and, even more sadly, how easily the public can be duped.
The question that James responded to can be found at approximately the 8:57 of this video of the full scrum, which made no mention to Colby Covington whatsoever.
Tip: If something seems questionable, look into it and see if you can verify the information yourself through the primary source.