Keke Palmer didn't know about LeBron James until 2YO brother gave unique introduction

LeBron James came into the consciousness of a generation of fans as they witnessed firsthand how special he is as a basketball player. However, it was not the same for Emmy award-winning actress Keke Palmer, whose introduction to the NBA great was through her two-year-old brother.

The star of "Turnt Up with the Taylors" shared this in one of the episodes of the TV talk show "The Shop: Uninterrupted" of James and Maverick Carter, relaying that playing with her brother back in the day led her to the legend of ‘The King.’

The 30-year-old Palmer said:

“You’ve been LeBron like forever. It’s incredible. Well when my little brother was a kid, I mean, I do not know why. This was the first time I heard about you. He was maybe like two or three, I mean he was really little. And we would play games. And you know when you play games, you have a new name every time? He was like, ‘My name LeBron.’ I was like, ‘Who the hell is LeBron?’ Every game we played, he would say ‘Call me LeBron.’ I said ‘Who the hell is LeBron? That was my introduction to you. And I am like that was why he wanted to be LeBron.”

LeBron James will be entering his 21st year in the NBA in the upcoming 2023-24 season. Turning 39 years old later this December, the 19-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion said he is healthy and is ready to make another run with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He had an eventful last season, highlighted by breaking the all-time scoring record long held by another Lakers great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Back in February, James scored his 38,888th point in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, eclipsing the previous record of 38,887 by Abdul-Jabbar.

LeBron James ended the 2022-23 season with averages of 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.5 steals while leading the Lakers all the way to the Western Conference finals against eventual champions Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James and 'The Shop'

"The Shop" is currently on its sixth season and has guested some of the top celebrities from sports, music, movies, television and politics.

Part of LeBron James’ legend is the other ventures he has made outside of basketball. These include forays in Hollywood, making movies and television shows. One of which is the talk show "The Shop: Uninterrupted."

The Shop stars James and good friend and media personality Maverick Carter as they converse and debate with guests in a barbershop setting. It premiered on HBO in the U.S. in August 2018.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the show, the Akron, Ohio native said:

“When I was a kid, being in barbershops meant listening to adults talk about sports, clothing, politics, music, everything happened in the shop. It was so real and so candid — no one had a sense of, well I can't be myself here."

The show is currently in its sixth season and has featured some of the top celebrities from sports, music, movies, television and politics.