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Barstool Sports boss Dave Portnoy wasn’t entertained by LeBron James’ decision to help himself to a fan’s red wine during the Sixers’ 126-107 victory over the Bulls on Monday night.
The 76ers superstar made waves when he took a sip of a fan’s drink after crashing into him while trying to catch a long transition pass from Tyrese Maxey midway through the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
“If anybody else did this they’d be checked into AA but because it’s Bron Bron SportCenter will do an hour special on it,” Portnoy said in an X post, including a clip of James.
“Who cares the example it sets for kids that you need to be drunk to play sports?”
The 41-year-old James, whose affinity for red wine is well documented, explained postgame that he was curious if the fan’s wine was good.
“I crashed into him, spilled some of his wine, so I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm and how good it was. It was all right,” James, who finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, told reporters.
Portnoy reshared a postgame video of James’ explanation.
“The man sees wine. He has no impulse control,” Portnoy said. “He has to taste it in the middle of working. But nah he doesn’t have a problem. He’s not screaming out for help. Im the crazy one.”
The man sees wine. He has no impulse control. He has to taste it in the middle of working. But nah he doesnt have a problem. He’s not screaming out for help. Im the crazy one. https://t.co/76SVRQXLqC
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 3, 2026
In an interview with ESPN, Troy Clemons, the Sixers fan whose drink spilled, explained his interaction with James.
“[I was] walking to my seat … LeBron crashed into me, he grabbed me, he said ‘My bad,’ my drink spilled everywhere,” Clemons said. “He took my drink from me and he basically just took a sip of it, gave it back and ran back on the [court].
“At the end of the day he’s another man like me. I mean he’s LeBron, but at the end of the day, I threw that cup in the trash. And it’s nothing up with him, I just got a fresh drink though.”
It should be noted that the Sixers broadcast said, “He didn’t take a drink. It looked like it” during the game.
In 2018, James arrived to a Lakers game with a glass of wine in his hand while he was out with a groin injury.
The 7-1 Sixers lead the Eastern Conference and will next play the Pistons, who are in the no. 2 spot, Friday in Detroit.
