In reality, the crowd was cheering for 22-year-old French superstar swimmer Leon Marchand, who won four gold medals and one silver in his home country.
USA basketball player Lebron James embarrassed himself in a viral moment caught on camera after he mistakenly thought the crowd at the Paris Olympics was cheering for him during Team USA's quarterfinal game against Brazil on Tuesday. The audience erupted in a standing ovation and James assumed the applause was for him. He responded by waving and making a crown gesture with his hands on his head.
In reality, the crowd was cheering for 22-year-old French superstar swimmer Leon Marchand, who won four gold medals and one silver in his home country. Marchand was attending the game and the audience greeted him with a warm welcome, the New York Post reported.
Loading this lets X set cookies and collect data.
View on XThe 39-year-old basketball star, who has been at the center of controversies over his anti-American political views and known for his "flops" during games, was reportedly shown on the jumbotron at the time which might have sparked the confusion, according to Larry Brown Sports.
James contributed 12 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and three steals in Team USA's 122-87 victory, which guaranteed a spot in the semifinals on Thursday. America will face Serbia in a matchup, the winner of which will appear in the finals.
During the quarterfinals, James reportedly suffered an injury after taking an elbow to the eye, causing him to need sewn up with four stitches.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
