LeBron James’ viral “Second Decision” stunt, which turned out to be nothing more than a Hennessy ad, continues to cause fallout. The latest twist comes from Andrew Garcia, a 29-year-old Lakers fan who has filed a small claims lawsuit against LeBron, accusing him of fraud and deception after being misled into buying expensive tickets under the belief that James was announcing his retirement.
Garcia says serving LeBron with legal papers won’t be easy, but he’s prepared to make it happen. Because small claims court rules in California prevent him from serving LeBron’s legal representatives, Garcia says he’ll have to serve the Lakers star in person, potentially during a game at Crypto.com Arena. According to The Athletic,
“In small claims, I cannot serve his representation. Even if they’re willing to accept process. It’s a California guideline. If he’s unwilling to get served at his residence, the Beverly Hills address that’s listed on the filing, I’m going to have to have a process server serve him at Crypto.com Arena during a game. This is not going away.”
“A lot of it to me is based off of principle. It’s not even so much about winning or losing. I mean, we’re talking about a small-claims case here. We’re not talking about some big ordeal. Even if I have to go forward with the actual hearing and even if I lost, it is what it is. I’m standing up for what I believe, and I also feel like I’m standing up for other fans who were victims of the same thing.”
Garcia, a lifelong Lakers supporter from Norwalk, California, spent $865.66 on two tickets to the March 31, 2026 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. When LeBron posted his cryptic “decision of all decisions” teaser on social media in October, referencing his famous 2010 “Decision,” Garcia believed he was witnessing the beginning of LeBron’s farewell tour.
Thinking it could be his last chance to see the NBA’s all-time leading scorer face his former team, Garcia jumped at the chance.
Ticket prices for that game, and others, skyrocketed after LeBron’s teaser.
According to Victory Live, resale sales for Lakers games jumped 25 times higher that day compared to the previous week, and the average ticket price climbed from $280 to nearly $400. But when LeBron revealed that “The Second Decision” was actually a Hennessy commercial, fans felt duped. Garcia decided to take action.
His lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims LeBron James misled fans for financial gain. But Garcia insists his motives aren’t about money.
A trial date has been set for December 1, though LeBron’s camp has yet to issue a response. The irony is that Lakers head coach JJ Redick admitted the team “knew it was an ad all along,” leaving Garcia as one of the few who genuinely believed LeBron’s cryptic teaser hinted at retirement.
LeBron James’ marketing stunt may have been meant as clever promotion, but for at least one fan, it crossed the line from clever to costly. And unless a settlement happens soon, it looks like LeBron could be served midseason, right on his own court.
