LeBron James Opts Out

LeBron James Opts Out

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Updated Aug 10, 2015 at 08:49PM EDT by Brad.

Added Jun 27, 2014 at 11:39AM EDT by Don.

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Overview

Lebron Opts Out refers to professional basketball player LeBron James' announcement in June 2014 that he would be opting out of the final year of his contract with the Miami Heat in order to become a free agent. Following the revelation, many Internet users reacted by posting image macros joking about the news.

Background

On June 24th, 2014, ESPN sportswriter Chris Broussard[1] tweeted that James' agent had informed the Miami Heat that LeBron would be opting out of his contract. Within 72 hours, the tweet gained over 6,000 retweets and 1,400 favorites.


Chris Broussard @Chris_Broussard * Follow LeBron James' agent Rich Paul has told Heat LeBron will exercise early termination option Reply t: Retweet ★ Favorite More FAVORITES 1讕醫魅鍵砲 匂圖 6,042 1,469 9:23 AM-24 Jun 2014

Notable Developments

Online Reaction

Immediately after Broussard's tweet, Twitter users began posting image macro reactions to the news, many of which joked how Heat fans would shift their loyalties to LeBron's new team (shown below).


TAKING MY TALENTS ELSEWHERE TAKING MIAMI'S FANS WITH ME NBA Stuff ONLY ▲ Follow @NBAStuffOnly What does the summer hold for LeBron James and the Miami Heat? 12:07 PM-22 Jun 2014 24 RETWEETS 13 FAVORITES WITNESS THE FUTURE AKERS AKERS AKERS 24 낼@I WALU Spencer Klein Followw @SKlein2564 Reality soon? @kobebryant@carmeloanthony @KingJames @Lakers 2:26 PM-22 Jun 2014 50 RETWEETS 29 FAVORITES FOLLOW METOMY NEKT TEAM EVERYONE TO THE'BANDWAGON Bandwagon SoccerFan @LiveMuchDieNone y Follow Lebron has a message to all his fans 11:12 AM-24 Jun 2014 63 RETWEETS 19 FAVORITES

On Reddit, several posts about James' exercising his termination option reached the front page,[2][3][4] including an image macro mocking fans of LeBron who aren't sure what team they will back next (shown below).


LEBRON FANS BE LIKE WHAT TEAM WE GOING TO NOWW mglip.com

News Media Coverage

In the coming days, several news sites published articles about the social media response to termination news, including the Miami Herald,[5] Sportige,[6] Complex,[7] Ball is Life,[8] Gossip on This[9] and Fox Sports.[10]

Notable Examples


BREAKING-NEWS! CNBAMEMES MIAMI HEAT FANS BECOME FREE AGENTS AS WELL LEBRON SWITCHING TEAMS AGAIN THESE THROWS AIN'T LOYAL YOU LEAVING AINT U BITCH
SO WHEN LEBRON LEAVE YALL STILL HEATNATION OR NAH UST HOLD ON AYGOING HOME YOURE ALL YOU LEBRON HATERS WOULD LOVE ME IF I WENT TO YOUR TEAM HEATVSHATERS BUT THAT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS

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