NBA star LeBron James has managed to keep his blue checkmark on Twitter even after the social media platform started removing them for verified accounts that did not pay for a Twitter Blue subscription. However, it seems that James did not pay for the subscription and instead received a complimentary one.
According to The Verge, a Twitter employee emailed James to “extend a complimentary subscription to Twitter Blue for your account, @kingjames, on behalf of Elon Musk.” Musk, who is Twitter’s CEO and owner, confirmed on the platform that he is personally paying for the subscription of some celebrities.
I’m paying for a few personally
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2023
However, USA Today reported that James declined the offer when Twitter reached out. The basketball player had previously stated that he would not pay for the subscription, tweeting, “Welp guess my blue will be gone soon cause if you know me I ain’t paying the 5.” James’ longtime media advisor, Adam Mendelsohn, confirmed that the Lakers star had not paid for a subscription.
Other NBA players, such as Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Ja Morant, lost their blue checkmarks after Twitter’s recent policy change. Twitter previously allowed verified users to keep their verification symbol next to their username, but the legacy verified program has now ended.
The Twitter Blue subscription, which costs $8 per month, allows users to edit their tweets and access additional features. Musk’s purchase of Twitter has opened up the opportunity for non-verified users to buy a checkmark with a Twitter Blue subscription. However, legacy verified users are now required to pay for the subscription or risk losing their blue checkmark.
Despite the controversy surrounding his Twitter verification status, James has more pressing concerns at the moment, as he is currently competing with the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies. After winning Game 1, the Lakers are now tied 1-1 with the Grizzlies. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 10 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
King James’ Domination: All Eyes on LeBron in Crucial Game 3 of Lakers-Grizzlies Playoff Series
LeBron James is gearing up for Game 3 of the Lakers-Grizzlies playoff series after a contentious Game 2, where Grizzlies player Dillon Brooks taunted him. Stephen A. Smith, a sports personality, believes James needs to step up his game and remind Brooks who’s boss.
“When you chirp like Dillon Brooks chirped last night, you gotta bust his a**. You literally gotta do that,” Smith said. “This is one of those moments if you are LeBron James.”
Smith doesn’t want James to lose sight of the bigger picture, however. “I’m not telling him to ignore the team, I’m not telling him to ignore strategy, I’m not telling him to just go out there and jack up shots. I’m saying, you could be LeBron doing what you normally do to win, while busting his ‘you know what’ in the process. Because he ain’t on LeBron’s level.”
James has the basketball expertise to play strategically while still dominating the court, but all eyes will be on him to see if he takes Smith’s advice.
The Lakers-Grizzlies playoff series is currently tied at one win each, with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday. Fans will be watching to see if James can lead the Lakers to victory and remind Brooks and the rest of the Grizzlies who’s the true king of the court.
