Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) shared a photo of himself on Instagram Tuesday morning that showed him with a full beard and completely shaved head. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James has given up the battle against his receding hairline — or has he?

LeBron shared a photo of himself on Instagram Tuesday morning that showed him with a full beard and completely shaved head. The big question is whether the photo was real or he was using a filter. Check it out:

It did look like there was a bit of a halo around the top of his head, which made a lot of people skeptical. LeBron also included several laughing emojis, so it is entirely possible that he got a kick out of the filter and wanted to show his followers. Or, maybe he was getting out in front of what people might say about his new look.

Either way, we now know what James would look like if he stopped clinging to what little hair he has left. LeBron’s hairline has been a topic of conversation for years. Charles Barkley told him years ago that he should just accept the inevitable and take a razor to his dome, but LeBron remained defiant . The Los Angeles Lakers star has since been mocked for his hairline on numerous occasions. To his credit, LeBron has also poked fun at himself.

Time will tell if the new look is real.

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