Troy Taormina-Imagn Images/Warner Bros.
NBA fans are accusing LeBron James of adding to his famed catalog of apparently needless lies. This latest anecdote involved a dinner with Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
During a recent lengthy interview with ESPN, LeBron James was asked by reporter Dave McMenamin about which celebrity fans would be surprised to know he has a relationship.
LeBron James claims that Leonardo DiCaprio told him about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood a year before it was released in movie theaters
LeBron not only named Leonardo DiCaprio, but said the Oscar winner told him about his work on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood about a year before it was released in theaters.
“Are there any celebrities we would be surprised to know you have a relationship with?” ESPN asked.
“Leonardo DiCaprio. I got dinner with Leo at Avra in Beverly Hills, and he told us about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood before he started filming it. That was crazy. I don’t remember how our connection started. I don’t know if Mav [Carter] set that up, I have no idea. But I just showed up and Leo was there. And then Al Pacino showed up,” the NBA legend responded.
I’ve seen enough, give Bron an Oscar https://t.co/5q4d8kyYNd
— Punch Drunk Luke (@WwwLukethoughts) April 29, 2026
He literally made this up https://t.co/kbx16iyGTq
— Papa LaRue, Tha Necromancer. 🧟♀️ (@hustleTiLLman) April 30, 2026
Zero doubt in my mind that this never happened and he’s remembering seeing the movie https://t.co/tZ7NQX5xE4
— Brett Seagull (@DeathbyCeltics) April 29, 2026
Another lie for the books https://t.co/i3OeJHYCZJ
— ƎSOᒐ ƎƧOᒐ 3SOJ (@by_joseA) April 29, 2026
In LeBron’s defense, TMZ did publish video of him getting dinner with DiCaprio and Pacino on July 12, 2018, meaning it’s possible the conversation he’s describing did, in fact, happen. Given his history of seemingly bold-faced lies, however, fans now have a dificult time belieivng any of his anecdotes.
The timelines certainly match up, though: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood began production in June 2018 before being released in movie theaters on July 26, 2019.