LeBron James is probably the most photographed human being on the planet over the last twenty years. When you're "The Chosen One" and you've spent two decades under a microscope, you're bound to get caught in some weird poses. Honestly, it's impressive he hasn't glitched more often. While his career is defined by four rings and a scoring record that seems fake, his internet legacy is built on something much more relatable: being a total goofball.
We’ve all seen the shots. The frantic pointing at J.R. Smith. The "Taco Tuesday" face. The "LeBron James crying" shot that basically replaced the Michael Jordan version for a whole generation. Most people just scroll past these on social media, but if you look closer, these funny LeBron James photos actually tell the story of a guy who stopped caring about being "perfect" and started leaning into the chaos.
The Night J.R. Smith Broke the Internet
If there is one image that defines the late-career LeBron era, it’s him standing on the court in 2018 with his arms outstretched, looking like a dad who just found out his kid colored on the walls with a Sharpie. You know the one.
The context makes it even funnier—and more painful. It was Game 1 of the NBA Finals. LeBron had just dropped 51 points against the Golden State Warriors. It was arguably the greatest single-game performance in playoff history. Then, J.R. Smith forgot the score. Instead of shooting a layup to win the game, J.R. dribbled the clock out while the game was tied.
The photographer captured LeBron in a state of pure, unadulterated disbelief.
It wasn't just a sports photo; it became a universal template for frustration. People used it for everything from "When the waiter brings the wrong order" to "When your roommate leaves the milk out." What makes it top-tier is the sheer scale of the reaction. LeBron isn't just annoyed; he looks like he’s experiencing a spiritual crisis.
Why We Can't Stop Sharing the Crying Meme
For a long time, Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame speech was the gold standard for crying memes. Then came 2016. After LeBron led the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the 73-win Warriors, he collapsed on the floor in tears.
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It was a beautiful, emotional moment for the city of Ohio.
But the internet has no soul. Within minutes, high-res photos of his face—red-eyed, scrunching his nose, sobbing into the floor—were everywhere. There is another, older version too, from 2008 during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was actually "fake crying" to mock a foul call. Fans often confuse the two, but the 2016 championship version is the one that really stuck.
It’s the "Crying LeBron" that people use when their favorite team loses or when they see the price of eggs. It’s a classic because it’s authentic. You can't fake that level of "ugly crying."
The Taco Tuesday Chronicles
Around 2019, LeBron decided to start filming his family dinners. This gave us some of the weirdest and most hilarious candid shots of his career. He would scream "Taco Tuesday!" at the top of his lungs, often with his tongue out or his face contorted into a bizarre grin.
He actually tried to trademark the phrase "Taco Tuesday," which is hilarious in its own right.
The trademark was denied, but the photos lived on. These aren't professional courtside shots; they’re grainy, high-energy selfies and screengrabs from Instagram Live. They showed a side of the King that was just... a dorky dad. Seeing a billionaire athlete lose his mind over a hard-shell taco is the kind of relatability you can't buy with a PR team.
Reading Only the First Page
One of the funniest running jokes in the NBA community involves LeBron and his books. There are dozens of photos of him arriving at arenas carrying massive biographies—Malcolm X, The Godfather, various business books.
The catch? In almost every photo, he’s on page one.
Twitter sleuths have spent years zooming in on these photos. It’s become a meme that he just carries the books for the aesthetic and never actually flips the page. During one famous interview, a reporter asked him what his biggest takeaway from the Malcolm X autobiography was. LeBron’s answer was basically, "He's a very smart man."
The photo of him staring intensely at that first page has become the go-to image for "When you're trying to look busy but haven't done anything all day."
The Father-Son Dynamic with Bronny
In 2024 and 2025, we started getting a new genre of funny LeBron James photos: the "Working with my kid" shots. Now that Bronny James is on the Lakers, the media day photos are gold. You have LeBron trying to look like a serious teammate while also clearly wanting to tell his son to tuck his shirt in.
There’s a great shot from a recent practice where LeBron is "trolling" Bronny after a 1v1 session.
The facial expressions are pure gold. It’s that specific mix of "I’m a global icon" and "I’m going to embarrass you in front of your friends." These photos are trending because they’re the first of their kind. We’ve never seen a father-son duo in the NBA before, and the awkwardness is incredibly endearing.
How to Find the Best LeBron Reactions
If you’re looking for these photos to use for your own memes or just for a laugh, you don't need to look far. Most of the best stuff comes from Getty Images or official NBA photographers like Nathaniel S. Butler, who has been documenting LeBron since high school.
- Check the "LeBron Faces" Archive: Fans on Reddit (specifically r/nba and r/nbamemes) keep running threads of his latest court outbursts.
- Search for "LeBron High School Photos": If you want to see some truly questionable 2000s fashion, look for his early photoshoot photos. The baggy suits are a comedy goldmine.
- Instagram Live Screengrabs: Some of the funniest moments aren't "official" photos at all, but captures from his social media during the off-season.
Honestly, LeBron James is a meme machine because he’s expressive. In a league where many players try to stay stoic or "cool," he wears his heart (and his frustration) on his sleeve. Whether he’s yelling at a ref or celebrating with a taco, he’s giving us a constant stream of content that makes the game more than just about points and rebounds.
To get the most out of these moments, start looking at his reactions during the fourth quarter of close games. That’s where the "shocked" faces usually happen. Also, pay attention to the bench when he’s resting; "Bench LeBron" is a whole different level of funny. If you're a content creator, these images are basically a cheat code for engagement because everyone—haters and fans alike—recognizes the King's "disbelief" face.
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Next time you see a highlight, keep an eye on the background. Sometimes the funniest thing in the arena isn't the dunk; it’s the face LeBron makes right after it.