Los Angeles, a city known for its vibrant culture and sports teams, has long been a destination for star athletes looking to take their careers to the next level.
The Los Angeles Lakers, one of the city’s most iconic basketball teams, have been no exception. In 2018, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James, joined the Lakers in search of a new challenge in his professional career.
At the time, one of the most prominent figures in the city to welcome James was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a top soccer player for the L.A. Galaxy back then. Known for his bold and eccentric personality, AC Milan star Ibrahimovic welcomed James to the city in his own unique way.
Now LA has a God and a King!
Zlatan welcomes @KingJames pic.twitter.com/4gYooOpURD— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) July 2, 2018
Despite their initial cordiality, the relationship between James and Ibrahimovic has been somewhat contentious over time. Ibrahimovic has been known to criticize James for expressing his political views, and James has responded in kind. But before their “feud,” the two appeared to be on good terms.
In fact, it was reported that James even sent Ibrahimovic a signed jersey as a gift. But in a surprising move, Ibrahimovic returned the jersey with his own autograph. It is unclear why the friendship between James and Ibrahimovic has deteriorated over time, but it is clear that their relationship has been marked by its fair share of ups and downs.
Lebron James thoughtfully sent a copy of his jersey to Zlatan Ibramovic as a gift when Zlatan visited Los Angeles.
Zlatan signed the jersey and sent it back to Lebron.
Where does Zlatan's oversized sense of self-importance come from?
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) June 17, 2021
Even though Zlatan is known for his sheer arrogance and some may say it’s just very typical of him, even by his standards, it seemed a little too much to most of the fans over the world.
