Image via Wikimedia Commons / Erik Drost, CC BY 4.0 (file photo)
LeBron James gave the crowd a moment they will not forget on Monday night. During the Philadelphia 76ers' 126-107 win over the Chicago Bulls, he crashed into the courtside seats — and took a sip of a fan's wine before running back onto the court.
It happened in the third quarter at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey grabbed a rebound and looked for James on a fast break. The pass missed, and James's momentum carried him past the baseline and into the stands.
That is where he met Troy Clemons. Clemons is a longtime Sixers season-ticket holder, and he was on his way back to his seat when James ran into him. Some of his red wine spilled onto James's arm. James checked that Clemons was fine, then did something nobody expected: he took the cup and tasted the wine.
After the game, James explained it in his own words. "I spilled some of his wine," he said. "I crashed into him, spilled some of his wine. So I wanted to see if it was worth it on my arm and how good it was. It was all right."
Clemons took it all in stride. He told ESPN's Kris Rhim that James hugged him, said "my bad", took a sip, handed the cup back and ran back onto the court. He also said he threw the cup away after the game and got a fresh drink. "He's LeBron, but at the end of the day, I threw that cup in the trash," he said.
One thing to clear up: a viral social media post claimed the NBA fined James $200,000 for the sip. As of Tuesday morning, the league had announced no such fine. Players are not supposed to drink from fans' cups, but the NBA rarely punishes a spontaneous moment like this. In 2019, Mike Scott did something similar during a Sixers game and was not fined.
The clip spread fast online, and it was not even James's only viral moment of the night. In the fourth quarter, he danced on the court after a layup that drew a foul. That was a separate moment, in a different quarter, from the wine sip.
On the court itself, the Sixers took care of business. James finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Maxey led the way with 26 points and 11 assists, and the win moved Philadelphia to 7-1. The Bears also made a statement on Monday Night Football, so it was a big night for US sports all round — but nothing topped the wine sip for pure surprise.
| Detail | What happened |
|---|---|
| Game | Philadelphia 76ers 126, Chicago Bulls 107 |
| When | Monday, November 2, 2026, third quarter |
| Where | Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia |
| The fan | Troy Clemons, longtime Sixers season-ticket holder |
| James's line | 15 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists |
| Fine? | No NBA fine announced as of Tuesday morning |
FAQs
Why did LeBron James drink a fan's wine?
He crashed into Troy Clemons while chasing a loose ball, spilled some of the fan's wine on his arm, and decided to taste it. His verdict: "It was all right."
Was LeBron James fined for sipping the wine?
No. A viral post claiming a $200,000 fine was false — the NBA had announced no fine as of Tuesday morning.
Who is the fan in the LeBron James wine video?
Troy Clemons, a longtime Philadelphia 76ers season-ticket holder. He threw the cup away after the game and got a fresh drink.
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