On Monday, October 6, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James teased a big announcement. Pitching it as “the Second Decision” — a parody of his infamous 2010 ESPN special where he revealed leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat — NBA fans held their breath in anticipation that the 40-year-old basketball veteran would either announce his retirement or a change in teams.
But no.
It turns out the big reveal has nothing to do with basketball at all. LeBron’s big announcement turned out to be a promotional campaign for a limited-edition Hennessy V.S.O.P cognac bottle collaboration, which will feature his signature “crowning” gesture.
Needless to say, basketball fans are infuriated. The manipulative clickbait marketing left them feeling emotionally exploited, especially considering LeBron’s recent hints at an impending end to his NBA career.
But Jason Whitlock is frustrated by something else: LeBron is yet again leaning deliberately into black stereotypes for marketing gain.
“If he was going to lean into a stereotype, at least he didn’t lean into watermelon,” he scoffs.
“This is maddening,” says “Fearless” contributor Steve Kim, who was excited at the prospect of LeBron finally retiring or leaving the Lakers.
“He just won’t go away, Whitlock. We’re stuck with this guy,” he sighs.
Jason is ready for the LeBron mania to fizzle out, too, but for him, it’s less about basketball and more about LBJ’s impact on culture. He’s tired of the “Bronsexuals” — James’ most ardent, overly defensive fans who exhibit an intense, almost obsessive loyalty to him — “[pretending] like LeBron is some genius, that LeBron is some influencer that’s ahead of the conversation.”
“I’m not sure if this dude can read, write, comprehend,” says Jason.
“This guy’s got one of the biggest brands in all of America and he’s … [using] it to promote Hennessy” — the most “ghetto liquor in the world?” he asks.
The marketing ploy also proves that LeBron has learned nothing from his past mistakes. The original “Decision,” during which he announced his transition to Miami, was not received well by fans.
“He got ripped and destroyed from that, and you would think that he would learn a lesson from that and that 15 years later, he wouldn’t be doing something to draw comparisons to [‘the Decision’] and then to do something equally as small,” says Jason.
He can only assume that LeBron’s handlers — Adam Mendelsohn, Rich Paul, and Maverick Carter — are just as cognitively stunted as the drama king himself.
“They can’t talk LeBron out of leaning into brown liquor stereotypes?” asks Jason, baffled.
He assumes that LeBron’s Hennessy collab will be defended by the usual tactic of playing the race card: “Anyone that criticizes this will be either an Uncle Tom or sellout like me, or they’ll be a racist.”
Now that LeBron’s retirement is no longer on the table, Jason and Steve fear that the aging athlete will play until he’s 50 years old.
“He’s certainly going to play until he can force his other son into the NBA,” says Jason.
“That might drive me to Hennessy,” Steve laughs.
To hear more of the conversation, watch the video above.
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