Turns out, LeBron James is human after all.
In the second quarter of the Lakers’ Game 2 showdown against the Nuggets, Anthony Davis came up with a block that was heading out of bounds on the baseline. Dennis Schroder saved the ball and found Rui Hachimura, who began to push the pace up the floor.
Hachimura found James running the lane on the opposite side of the court, giving The King a free runway to the rim.
How many times have we seen James on the open floor, accelerating like a jet that’s about to take flight?
In the past, James has either thrown down his signature tomahawk or two-handed reverse windmill. You know, the one he did to honor the late great Kobe Bryant shortly after his passing?
Throwback to LeBron James recreating Kobe’s iconic windmill dunk 💜💛🐍♾pic.twitter.com/908yDoQa0g
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) June 28, 2022
It looked like James was gearing up for the same dunk until he had a “Shaqtin'” moment that sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy.
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LeBron James’ missed dunk: NBA Twitter reactions
With nothing but open space between James and the rim, he fumbled the ball out of bounds when he went to gather for the two-handed reverse windmill.
Get ‘em next time, King! 😅#Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/rJyo8hvByd
— Shaqtin’ a Fool (@shaqtin) May 19, 2023
He reacted in the only way any hooper would when the ball slips out of their hands — the classic hand wipe down.
Gotta wipe the hands after losing the ball 😂 pic.twitter.com/5Y2gEUkWWg
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 19, 2023
Of course, NBA Twitter had a field day with LeBron’s moment of mortality.
Year 20, indeed.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 19, 2023
LeBron after blowing the dunk pic.twitter.com/lNMXbkh5gF
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) May 19, 2023
finally, LeBron does something on a basketball court that I can also do
— Jordan Zirm (@JordanZirm) May 19, 2023
Bron said…
pic.twitter.com/jcEPlwc0hl— Mireya (@__Miri__) May 19, 2023
The King missing that dunk was his Brady moment. Damn Bron. pic.twitter.com/3qX67H0IhT
— Jonas Clark (@jarkclonas) May 19, 2023