This year, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James returned for his 15th tour of China with Nike. The "Forever King" tour also marked the 20th anniversary of James' first tour of China with the brand.
The Lakers star was slated to be in Shanghai and Chengdu over the course of two days. This presented a promising opportunity for the forward to share his love and knowledge of the game on a global platform, particularly with the young players who are a part of the Nike RISE program.
In Chengdu, James was set to reveal the RISE 10, a handpicked team of young players (boys and girls) from the Nike RISE program. The boys' team would face off against the Nike Elite Youth Basketball Team Scholastic Team, while the girls would go up against an EYBL girls squad.
At the event, James was seen putting up some shots from distance. Given the intense spotlight in such situations, the pressure to make the shots is also immense. Unfortunately, the Lakers forward missed on all of his attempts.
James' embarrassing cold stretch drew the attention of NBA fans on social media, who rushed to X to roast him for his poor shooting display.
"No guided missile tech there,"shared one fan.
"This is AI,"said another, in James' defense.
"He'd fit right in on a WNBA roster lol,"added another user.
Another chimed in with the previous response and said, "I thought it was Angel Reese without my glasses on."
"Looks like a non-NBA court has no magic...especially in China and Europe,"claimed one user.
"LeBrick house,"highlighted another.
One user painted an intriguing scenario involving James' mindset by saying, "I imagine in his mind while he's stepping back right there, he'd be like, 'Steph from DEEP!'”
Another user simply tweeted, "So that's the GOAT...?"
One made a keen observation and claimed, "Started shooting left-handed to use as an excuse, lmfao."
"That is not my king LEBRON JAMES,"said another fan, in awe of the poor shooting display.
James was among the several stars to tour China this year, with the likes of Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and even James Harden visiting to represent their brands.
Although the three-point shot isn't a staple in James' offensive arsenal, he has shown some degree of proficiency with it. In a way, it is shocking to consider that his first shot attempt from halfcourt was the closest to going in.
As the star progressively moved around the court to notch his first make, his struggles also became more concerning in light of Nike's latest ad featuring the star.
Despite his poor shooting display in Chengdu, it is evident that his presence was far more significant for the young players and fans in attendance.
On this note, James' message ahead of the tour remains inspiring, as he said, “Fall in love with the process and not the results. That’s the No. 1 key to me, and I always try to instill that in anyone who’s inspired by what I do or needs words of encouragement about how to reach their goals.”
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