LeBron James had NBA fans on pins and needles following a cryptic post on X on Monday, Oct. 6, where said he was going to make his ‘Second Decision.’
Given that James will turn 41 in December, many fans believed this was his way of announcing his retirement. With the 2025-26 NBA season nearly here, clearly James wanted to make the announcement before the regular season tips off to give himself a farewell tour this season, right?
Except that wasn’t the case. Instead, this was a viral marketing ploy intended to promote his new partnership with Hennessy V.S.O.P.
The collab came through an ad campaign dubbed ‘The Second Decision,’ alluding to his infamous July 2010 televised special in which he announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat in free agency. James also wrote in Monday’s teaser that this would be ‘the decision of all decisions.’
Fans were both relieved and dissatisfied with the advertisement. On one hand, everyone is grateful that the NBA’s biggest star is not retiring, but on the other, James used one of the most famous moments from his career – ‘The Decision’ – as a means to tease something enormous yet instead rolled out an advertisement.
If there is one thing LeBron has learned over the course of his lengthy career, it is that social media is a fickle mistress, which doesn’t take too kindly to being manipulated. Here are the best reactions from across social media.