Did LeBron James post IG video of drinking before Lakers-Thunder? Debunking viral post 

LeBron James and the LA Lakers will do battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder two days before Christmas Day. The four-time NBA champion will look to end the team's four-game losing skid, but a viral video of James has emerged that he was drinking before the game.

In a post by NBACentel, the former league MVP was seen sipping wine from a wine glass connected to a bottle of wine. In the background, James' youngest child and only daughter was seen just sitting on the sofa.

"LeBron Is currently drunk-posting on IG," captioned NBA Centel.

However, the video is old, and NBA Centel is just a parody site that just wants to add satirical humor to the league. Posts on their account should not be taken seriously. They need to taken with a grain of salt.

It's also a fact that LeBron James loves wine and he drinks every day as part of his health regimen.

"I've heard it's good for the heart," James said in a report by Yahoo Sports in 2021. "Listen, I'm playing the best basketball of my life, and I'm drinking some wine pretty much every day. Whatever it is, I'll take it."

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LeBron James drinks wine for health benefits

After turning 30, LeBron James developed a fondness for wine, a shift from his previous stance of not being into it. In an interview with ESPN, he admitted to not drinking wine at all before hitting the milestone.

"I was not a wine guy. Didn't drink wine at all. Kind of started around when I turned 30," bares James to ESPN.

"I started to do some research. I sort of tasting different wines and took a while from up how to actually give into it because it's not your first time drinking wine."

James even let his young daughter try it. Notably, other NBA players like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Devin Booker share a similar love for wine.

According to James, he attributed his consistent All-Star game appearances since 2015 to his daily wine ritual, claiming that it coincided with his best basketball performance. However, recent injuries have affected his game stats.

Red wine, containing antioxidants like resveratrol and polyphenols, may reduce clot formation and combat "bad" cholesterol oxidation, promoting heart health. However, excessive alcohol intake cites different negative effects like high blood pressure and increased heart disease.

Even with the love of the drink, LeBron James is staying within recommendation limits and enjoys heart health benefits from his moderate wine consumption.