ESPN has stirred the hive after putting out a story hinting at tension between Jeanie Buss and LeBron James. NBA fans erupted. Then Skip Bayless came along with a stick to poke it more.
@RealSkipBayless posted his reaction, saying, “I wasn’t surprised about a single thing I read in the new ESPN story about Jeanie turning on LeBron. It just took Jeanie a while to see through the act that has fooled millions of Blind Witnesses.”
That wording alone was enough to set NBA Fans off. Replies stacked up within minutes, with many calling the post disrespectful, personal, and predictable.
One of the most shared responses came from @jmooremoney12, who fired back, “Black men with power make white people uncomfortable.”
Black men with power make white people uncomfortable
— jmooreknowsbest (@jmooremoney12) January 22, 2026
That line spread fast across timelines, with NBA Fans quoting it as a summary of how they felt about Bayless’ angle and history.
Others aimed more directly at the Lakers’ ownership. @12forlyfe wrote, “In desperation of replacing Kobe’s star power they gave LeBron the keys to the Lakers, that’s her fault. They had great young pieces like Ingram, Randle, Clarkson etc.. the LeBron situation is 💯 on Jeanie.”
His post became one of the most liked replies in the thread, pulling in NBA Fans who believe the front office choices matter more than any personal fallout.
Scrolling through the reactions, NBA Fans weren’t focused on stats or lineups. They were talking about power, blame, loyalty, and who controls the story. Some defended Buss. Many defended LeBron. Almost all rejected the tone Bayless took.
This reaction isn’t just about a single quote. For NBA Fans, it touched a nerve that’s been exposed for years. Who gets protected. Who gets questioned. And who gets framed as the problem when things get messy.
By the end of the day, NBA Fans had turned one Bayless post into a wider argument about respect, ownership, and the way LeBron’s presence in Los Angeles is still talked about. And judging by the volume, it’s nowhere near finished.
New Report Adds Another Layer to LeBron Debate
Just minutes before Skip Bayless sent NBA Fans into a frenzy, another major outlet published a very different angle.
@YahooSports released comments from Jeanie Buss addressing the ESPN report. In their post, they quoted Buss saying, “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama. To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
That statement quickly made the rounds, and NBA Fans immediately began comparing it to Bayless’ framing. Where his post suggested a turning point against LeBron, Buss’ words sounded like damage control and defense.
Not everyone was convinced.
@EdCoghlan replied bluntly, “Jeannie is an empty suit. A rich one thanks to her dad. But empty none the less.” Others took a more mocking route. @TheAntiHero_J posted, “She just wants a piece of Bron Bron again,” alongside a GIF of Buss being physically close to LeBron courtside. moments.
Across the replies, NBA Fans were clearly divided. Some accepted Buss’ words at face value, pointing to championships and public praise in past years. Others argued the statement felt timed and defensive, coming only after the ESPN story started gaining traction.
Right now, NBA Fans aren’t just reacting to games. They’re reacting to narratives. And with Buss and LeBron both pulled into another news cycle, NBA Fans are making it clear they’re not letting anyone control the story uncontested.
