Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is one of the biggest stars of his generation. However, his prominence and sheer star-power leaves him susceptible to the polar nature of public perception. He could be as hated as he is beloved depending on where he's setting foot at the moment. And during the Super Bowl LVII in State Farm Stadium at Glendale, Arizona, the crowd of 67,827 didn't give James the warmest of receptions.
Nonetheless, this isn't The King's first rodeo with a loud chorus of jeers. LeBron James was clearly unfazed by all the boos following his appearance on the big screen; he even crowned himself as he sat beside his wife, Savannah.
One would think that the Lakers' uneven play over the past two seasons would have made James a more sympathetic figure by now. Moreover, his latest achievement – becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer – should reasonably have endeared him to more fans by now, if only because his storied career, as much as it pains some to admit, is nearing its end.
Alas, LeBron James spent the early years of his career playing the villain. James drew perhaps the loudest chorus of boos in NBA history during his first game back in Cleveland after he signed with the Miami Heat in 2010. Moreover, he stood as the biggest foil for some of the most beloved teams in history such as the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2013/14 San Antonio Spurs, and the 2015 Golden State Warriors.
Thus, it should not come as too much of a surprise that James isn't quite as universally beloved as an athlete of his stature should be. Even then, such is the double-edged sword of being a polarizing athlete. His experience in dealing with jeers certainly helped with fueling his composure-filled response to the boos in the State Farm Stadium.
LeBron James, however, could no longer keep his cool late in the tightly-contested Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Following a contentious holding call, James expressed his frustration over such an officiating decision that turned the tides heavily in favor of the Chiefs. After all, James of all people know how infuriating it is to have officials swing the outcome of a crucial game.
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