LeBron James once again hinted at a big announcement that ramped up speculation among NBA fans, only for it to just be an advertisement. Relief and irritation filled social media after people watched the all-time great pay tribute to his infamous “Decision” special from 2010, in what turned out to be a Hennessy commercial. The Los Angeles Lakers did not appear too worried about any potential retirement news breaking, but Monday's teaser certainly piqued people's interest.
“I got a couple calls, like, ‘What is this?’” LA guard Austin Reaves said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. “Couple of texts, I texted him, too,” forward Rui Hachimura revealed. “He's using those weird emojis. I don't even know what that means… He loves to do that type of stuff.”
Others never even expected a bombshell to drop on the basketball world, confident that James was up to his old tricks.
“You guys are idiots,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick joked when asked if anyone texted him about the four-time Finals MVP and four-time regular season MVP possibly retiring. “We all knew it was an ad, right? I think most people who text me are also aware that it was probably an ad. Nobody was freaking out.”
A compilation of Lakers reactions to LeBron James’ The Decision 2.0:
Rui Hachimura – “He loves to do that type of stuff”
Austin Reaves: “I got a couple calls, like, ‘What is this?’”
JJ Redick – “You guys are idiots” pic.twitter.com/SiujD19E9w— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 7, 2025
While there was a strong likelihood that James was stringing people along to generate interest in a forthcoming endorsement, particularly because he employed a similar tactic in June, there were obviously plenty of individuals who were genuinely wondering if retirement was going to be the topic at hand in “The Second Decision.” A huge spike in ticket prices for LA's regular season finale against the Utah Jazz suggested as much, which makes Redick's response all that more condescending.
His soundbite did not help dispel the “smug Duke guy” stereotype that has followed him over the years. The second-year HC is hardly the only one to attract bad optics in the aftermath of this ad. LeBron James made many eyes roll when the video endorsing Hennessy VSOP dropped on Tuesday. Again, this was always the most probable outcome, but that does not mean it went over well with the masses.
Although stoking the flames in an effort to draw more views for an ad may be a sensible business strategy, it also tends to be polarizing. Perhaps the nod to The Decision 1.0, which saw the Cleveland Cavaliers icon announce his decision to sign with the Miami Heat more than 15 years ago, will make some fans chuckle. Public backlash is inevitable, however, especially following the massive increase in ticket prices. Hopefully, the market will stabilize a bit now.
James' retirement plans will surface again — he turns 41 in December — but the focus is currently on the court. The Lakers begin their 2025-26 season in just two weeks.
