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There is no shortage of stories involving LeBron James, a man who was thrust into the international spotlight as a high schooler before managing to surpass the incredibly lofty expectations that surrounded him when he took his talents to the NBA.
A lot of those tales obviously revolve around what he’s been able to achieve on the basketball court thanks to his tireless work ethic and the almost superhuman athleticism that helped him instantly become one of the most dominant players in the league and retain that status for 20 years and counting.
He’s also lived a pretty interesting life off of the hardwood, like the time he was almost swarmed by thousands of adoring fans who staked out his hotel in China or got the chance to star in a music video alongside Drake, Lil Wayne, and Eminem.
However, there’s one story that’s largely flown under the radar involving a meeting with a reporter in the wake of his first NBA title that led to him crashing a wedding before coming up with a truly legendary toast on the spot.
The time LeBron James crashed a wedding in the middle of an interview
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This story comes courtesy of former Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins, who first got the chance to chat with James a couple of months before he’d help the Heat secure the first of the two back-to-back titles he won while playing alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami.
Jenkins said he got LeBron to agree to sit down for a second interview if he ended up hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and James followed through on that promise when the two men met at the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove two days after the Heat vanquished the Thunders in five games.
The duo opted to head out onto a veranda connected to a ballroom that was serving as the venue for a Jewish wedding, and more and more attendees started gathering inside as the conversation unfolded.
However, it became increasingly difficult to focus on the interview thanks to the wedding guests who recognized James, and after spending a few minutes dealing with onlookers banging on the glass to try to get his attention, he opted to pop in and spend some time with the revelers who were treated to an incredibly memorable moment thanks to what unfolded:
“So we walk out and he walks out into the wedding and everybody kind of raises a glass to him and he said ‘L’Chaim’ to everybody. And he just said, ‘You’re getting rings, I’m getting a ring.”
It was really cool. He went in there and took a picture with the bride and groom.”
I think most people would prefer to not have anyone crash their wedding—but I also think most people would make an exception for LeBron James.