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Lakers Fans Not Happy With LeBron James Over 'Second Decision'

Alex Kirschenbaum|
Oct 3, 2025; Palm Desert, California, USA; Lebron James looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2025; Palm Desert, California, USA; Lebron James looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Lakers

All-Star Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James had the basketball world on high alert Monday when he teased a video on his social media accounts of himself sitting for a stern-seeming interview, dubbed "The Second Decision."

James made a rare PR misstep in 2010, his first summer of breaking the Internet as an unrestricted free agent. With rumors swirling about his free agency as he was seemingly courted by the whole NBA, he opted to make a half-hour broadcast special announcing his destination for 2010-11 and beyond, which he dubbed "The Decision."

With Jim Gray interviewing him in front of a group of unsuspecting schoolchildren, James revealed that he was abandoning his semi-hometown Cleveland Cavaliers (he's from the suburb of Akron, an hour outside the city) in favor of linking up with fellow 2008 Olympians Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat.

James stunned the world and instantly reconfigured the NBA hierarchy.

This summer, however, rumors had been swirling about something else.

The 40-year-old is embarking on a record-extending 23rd NBA season in the fall, and after failing to negotiate a new one-plus-one free agent deal with Los Angeles opted into his expiring $52.6 million deal for 2025-26, meaning he'll reach free agency once again next summer.

James could, alternately, just hang up his Nikes and call it a career.

So when he hinted that a new "Decision" was coming, the world went nuts. Ticket prices to Lakers games soared and speculation ran rampant that the four-time league MVP might be announcing his retirement.

More news: Lakers' Deandre Ayton Sends Message After 1-Point Performance in Preseason Opener

Cynics who have followed James' career as a business entrepreneur and pitchman, however, were more cynical.

To that latter group, it might have come as no surprise that James was actually announcing a collaboration with Hennessy, and not revealing a timeline for his retirement at all.

Fans, understandably, were a bit aggrieved by the news, feeling like they had been taken.

Physical therapist Dr. Evan Jeffries, a longtime Lakers fan, called out James for having "got us like puppets" throughout a buzzy summer.

Fan @MrBuckBuckNBA put it a bit more succinctly.

The Gametime app, meanwhile, repurposed an oft-used meme to drive home fans' frustation.

Fan @KnicksCentral shredded the Hennessy marketing team and/or the ad agency responsible for even concocting this conceit.

“'LeBron should fool everyone with a fake "Decision," then people will go out and buy Hennessy bc our video will go viral and serve as tremendous publicity,'” @KnicksCentral writes, assuming the voice of the marketing team. "Fire whoever pitched this."

Another fan channeled Amazon Prime Video's "The Boys" with a video trolling any NBA enthusiast who actually thought James would be announcing his retirement instead of some kind of brand collaboration.

Sports fan @OurSf49ers weighed in with a very on-point encapsulation of James' chicanery.

"Bro gaslit everyone for a Hennessy ad," @OurSf49ers wrote.

More news: Lakers' Rob Pelinka Expects Deandre Ayton to Make Massive Impact

Another fan, @BuckCityBreaks, reflected on how the next generation will be doubly disappointed by this announcement.

"There were little kids outside of my son’s elementary school this morning talking about what this was about. They’re going to be so disappointed it was just an ad for something they’re waaaaay too young to for," wrote @BuckCityBreaks.

Gametime wasn't the only brand getting in on the fun. Bovada found a way to rip the original "The Decision" here.

"Somehow still not the worst The Decision of [LeBron's] career," Bovada wrote.

The fact that a fairly minor marketing campaign had been so drummed-up was called out by @houstonfan4life.

"This could've been an email," wrote @houstonfan4life.

Another fan who was nearly sucked into chalking up big bucks for a Lakers ticket or two this year lashed out.

"This is nasty work bruh I almost dropped a major bag on tickets thinking my dawg was retiring man," writes @MarleyBrooker. "Who [the f---] okay’d this!?"

A Good Year To Be A Lakers Fan

Lakers tickets might still be worth the price of admission, whether or not James is ending his NBA tenure.

After a 50-win season last year, Los Angeles has only gotten better, bringing in center Deandre Ayton, former Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart, and combo forward Jake LaRavia to bolster its depth for 2025-26.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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