Ah, LeBron James—the King of the Court, the Sultan of Slam, and, apparently, the Patron Saint of Page One. For years, we’ve seen him courtside, nose buried in a book, exuding intellectual vibes that scream, “I read, therefore I dunk
But eagle-eyed fans couldn’t help but notice a pattern: every time LeBron was photographed reading, he seemed to be on the first page. Whether it was The Autobiography of Malcolm X or The Hunger Games, the page count never seemed to progress. This led to a flurry of memes and jokes, suggesting that LeBron’s reading habits were more about optics than literature. One Reddit user quipped, “He can’t read. He poses in public with books… to trick people into thinking he can.”
LeBron, never one to shy away from a good-natured jab, decided to join in on the fun. In a Hennessy commercial, he was seen lounging by a pool, sipping cognac, and reading a book titled The First Page. The camera zooms in to reveal that, yes, he’s on the first page—a cheeky nod to the ongoing joke.
Not stopping there, LeBron starred in a Royal Kingdom ad that took the meme to new heights. The commercial features a gamer accusing LeBron of pretending to read, presenting “evidence” like him swiping book pages like a touchscreen and holding books upside down. Even LeBron’s librarian gets involved, adding layers to the satire.
So, whether LeBron is genuinely a bibliophile or just enjoys a good meme, one thing’s clear: he knows how to turn a joke into a branding opportunity. After all, in the game of memes, LeBron is always on the first page.