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With how successful LeBron James has gotten over the years, it comes with a few challenges. While most fans will most likely remember him for what he was able to do on the court, James' resume off the court isn't too shabby either. He's invested in different food chains and sports teams, but one of his biggest (and best) investments was in SpringHill company, a production company he launched with Maverick Carter in 2020 that was once valued at $725 million in 2021. The company has produced various successful sports films, but that's not the only reason they've made headlines.
LeBron James and Netflix are sued over alleged copyright infringement
In August 2023, Netflix released Rez Ball, a film inspired by Michael Powell’s book Canyon Dreams. The movie did well, boasting a 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80% audience score. One person who didn't love the movie was Rob Grabow. Grabow was the writer who wrote a script titled “The Gift of Game” and thinks James' film followed his script.
Grabow claims he shared his script with one of Rez Ball’s co-writers prior to production. He also accuses Rez Ball of copying the setting, characters, and the ending of his script. In his 25-page lawsuit, Grabow argues that Rez Ball mirrors his script more than the book it’s supposedly based on and accused the defendants of copyright infringement, breach of contract, and several other violations.
However, Grabow’s case faces a significant hurdle. Since the production of Rez Ball began months before Grabow officially submitted his script to the U.S. Copyright Office, he might not have a solid case.
LeBron, Bronny get sued for involvement in 2022 car crash
The other lawsuit LeBron is facing this year involves his son. In a separate legal matter, LeBron and Bronny James are being sued over a car crash that involved Kiara McGillen and April Lopez. The two filed a lawsuit claiming that the father and son duo collided with their vehicle along Pearblossom Highway, resulting in significant hospital bills and car repair costs.
While cases like these should always be taken seriously, the timing is a bit strange. Aside from the incident occurring two years ago, the lawsuit was filed on the same day that LeBron and Bronny were slated to make their season debut with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Whether James comes out triumphant from either lawsuit remains to be seen. With his billion-dollar empire, it's not a surprise that people would try and get a piece of his fortune. But with the legal team James has, accusers haven't found much success. A vivid example is when a photographer sued James for $150,000 because he posted a photo on his Instagram that he took.
Long story short, it did not end well for the photographer. And with how his two latest lawsuits come with a few red flags, it's unlikely that things will end any differently this time around.
