LeBron James Trash Talked Dejounte Murray’s Family In An Empty NBA Arena

The COVID-19 pandemic was a wild time for the NBA. There was a lot of uncertainty about how games would feel without fans in the stadium, and many, understandably, disliked that eerie, silent atmosphere. Still, making the best of it were people like LeBron James, who ordinarily don’t react too much with individuals in the crowd, but on one occasion, went as far as trading verbal jabs with a player’s family.

The player in question was Dejounte Murray, who was a part of the San Antonio Spurs when the NBA shifted to empty arenas. Only select few members of both organizations, and in some instances, family were allowed to watch basketball live.

Murray’s family had travelled to a Lakers game, where Bron, according to Derrick White‘s co-host in his White Noise podcast, embraced a side of his that’s rarely seen.

“There wasn’t more than 40 people maybe,” he said. “Just friends and family. They sat us on the other side of the benches. Obviously close to floor, but there was still like a huge gap to the floor, obviously… They scattered every family.” 

“Dejounte Murray’s family was 4 rows up, and 5 rows over from our section and it was dead silent… “He [LeBron] was like, looking in their direction and he would score, run up the sidelines, right in front of us. And he was like looking in their direction, like, kinda chirping back and forth with them.” 

White’s co-host did reveal that it was playful, since LeBron already shared a relationship with the Murray family. But it must’ve been surreal for those — however little — in attendance to hear one of the greatest player of all time exchange insults with an opponent team’s family.

White was amused. It’s an interesting story because James isn’t really much of a trash-talker, and his teammates know that well. White, although a member of the Boston Celtics, has shared the locker room with James before, at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Safe to say, they have a pretty good relationship.

When James used White as an example for his children

James isn’t just a veteran figure to youngsters on the Lakers anymore. He’s a father to Bronny James, who made it to the NBA and joined the Lakers. So, while sharing advice with Bronny and his other son Bryce, who’s also looking to make it to the league, he brought White up.

The backstory here is centered around Bronny, who was the #55 pick in the 2024 Draft. And well, players picked that late into a draft seldom go on to become greats. Not everyone’s a Nikola Jokic.

But, James told his sons how White was also overlooked heavily throughout his career. But his hard work turned him into a valuable Celtics star, and an Olympic gold medalist. “Unranked in high school, zero D1 scholarship offers, played three years of Division II basketball at UCCS, transferred to Colorado, and now is an NBA Champion on one of the best teams in the NBA,” James had said.

“And my message was to them, ‘Everybody’s road to success was different. So stay locked-in and patient.’ That was my message to my boys last year.”