Playing in his 23rd season in the NBA, LeBron James continues to defy Father Time and deliver one incredible performance after another, averaging 21.4 points on 50.5 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game.
What he does on the court borders on the superhuman — but off it, he’s still very much human.
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On “Road Trippin’,” his former teammate on the Cleveland Cavaliers, Richard Jefferson, recalled a story that shows just how relatable the legendary forward can be.
Everybody was grumpy
Anyone who follows the NBA knows the regular season is a long and arduous grind. Players go through hectic schedules — practices, media responsibilities, games, late-night flights — that there are times they forget which city they’re in. It’s safe to say that all these can weigh on a player’s mind and body; nobody’s immune to exhaustion, not even James.​
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During a particularly grueling stretch of games, Jefferson remembers that everyone on the team was feeling exhausted and irritable. He and teammate Channing Frye usually went out to dinner by themselves, but on this occasion, several of their teammates tagged along, including James.
“Channing and I would do our thing. We would go someplace, we’d go meet up. And one time our whole team was grumpy. Bron was grumpy. Everybody was grumpy,” he shared. “So we go to dinner and it’s just me and Channing. And there’s probably like Bron and a few other guys with the group dinner.”
“So we’re like, ‘Okay, screw those guys. We’re going to go to dinner.’ We go to dinner ourselves and we come back,” he continued.
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Not long after they finished eating, Jefferson revealed that he had seen something not many people can say they have.
Bron got tipsy
James’ love for wine is no secret in the league. In fact, he’s almost never seen on his podcast without a bottle of wine nearby. However, Jefferson said that on that night, he might have had one drink too many.
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“Bron might have been a little tipsy and he came over like a two-year-old and was like, ‘Guys, I’m sorry I was grumpy. I’m sorry, guys,'” Jefferson stated, laughing at the memory.
“He comes over like, ‘Guys, man, I’m sorry I was grumpy, man. I just — you know — I’m trying to do a better job of holding my emotion. I just get grumpy sometimes,'” Jefferson continued. “And we were like, ‘It’s okay, big fella. I had four points, he had two, you had 36. It’s okay. If you cry, it’s okay.'”
Nobody can begrudge James for feeling agitated at times, given the burden he had to bear during his time with the Cavaliers. Not only was he carrying an entire franchise on his shoulders, but he was also carrying the hopes and dreams of the entire city. And while he did bring Cleveland its first championship in 2016, it was clear that the pressure took a toll on him.
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“We like to share these stories because it humanizes the people that we talk about and our teammates. So when we’re discussing it, it’s not glazing,” Jefferson explained. “You get to watch a person be human. You get to watch him be a dad. So our view is always going to be different.”
What James is doing these days at his age is nothing short of superhuman. However, as Jefferson’s story clearly showed, the man is still human. He has feelings, he gets tired and he can even get overwhelmed by the immense expectations placed upon him.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.