LeBron James just won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Saturday. But by Sunday, he was under fire on social media.
A TikTok video showed James walking behind his wife, Savannah, in France. A young fan with a phone approached the Team USA star. James was in his Team USA gear, strolling around the front of a car.
As the kid got closer, James firmly said, "Stop." Someone from James' entourage nudged the kid aside as they entered a restaurant.
Photographers congratulated James as he did a little dance while entering. But it was the interaction with the kid that caught attention online.
James and Team USA had just won a close game against France to secure the gold. This victory added a third Olympic gold to his collection, along with his four NBA championships. It also marked the fifth consecutive gold for Team USA.
"Super humbled that I can still play this game," James said. "Played at a high level, with 11 other great players and a great coaching staff. We did it for our country. It was a great moment."
He scored 14 points in the win.
James hasn’t addressed the social media backlash yet.