LeBron James’ viral “Decision 2.0” ad has sparked more than just debate and it’s even led to a lawsuit. According to TMZ Sports, 29-year-old Lakers fan Andrew Garcia filed a small claims suit in Los Angeles County, alleging LeBron misled him into thinking he was retiring. Garcia said he rushed to buy tickets to what he believed would be LeBron’s final game against the Cavaliers, only to find out the dramatic announcement was really just an ad for Hennessy.
“Andrew Garcia, a 29-year-old, lifelong Lakers fan, filed the lawsuit in a small claims court in Los Angeles County on Wednesday … claiming James owes him $865.66 after he says the hooper seemingly intimated he was about to announce his retirement,’ wrote TMZ.
Ticket prices for the Lakers’ final home game this season soared after LeBron’s “Decision 2.0” teasers and many fans took it as a sign that he was about to announce his retirement. Naturally, people scrambled to reserve their seats for the historic event and paid well beyond the initial selling price. Now, one fan is demanding compensation after learning it was just a clever marketing campaign.
“Garcia tells TMZ Sports … when James on Monday teased he had a big choice to make — he figured The King meant he was hanging up his sneakers, so he raced to Ticketmaster to score some seats to what would be LBJ’s last-ever matchup with his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers,” TMZ added.
At 40 years old, LeBron’s career is in the final stages now and next season is never guaranteed. After 22 years in the NBA, he’s got nothing left to prove and has already accomplished more than most players could hope for. With just one year left on his contract, James will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 and it would be a perfect opportunity for him to call it a career.
So when LeBron James teased a major announcement, you can’t blame fans for assuming it would mark the beginning of the end of his storied career. For many of his biggest supporters, the chance to go to his last game was too big to pass up and they gladly sacrificed their own financial security to ensure their attendance.
Of course, it was only later that they found out LeBron has no intention of retiring just yet and that his last game this season will not be the last of his career. Ultimately, James fooled everyone and used his impending retirement announcement as nothing more than a marketing stunt with Hennessy.
As for the lawsuit in question, it remains to be seen how far it goes but James may just end up settling the case given that it’s for the measly sum of $865.66. That’s pocket change for James, and he’s more likely to pay it up than risk letting it become a distraction for his team this year. At the very least, it’s a lesson that LeBron can’t just tease people with his retirement, or they could demand compensation.
LeBron’s stunt might have started as clever marketing, but it’s already coming back to bite him. What was meant to be a lighthearted ad has turned into a legal headache and a reminder that fans take their heroes seriously. Even if the lawsuit doesn’t go anywhere, it proves that when LeBron speaks, the basketball world listens, and sometimes a little too closely.
