"So unintentionally funny" - Fans of club co-owned by LeBron James react to him leaving out departing star in congratulatory message

LeBron James is a man of many talents. The only thing he might be better at than playing basketball is making money, as shown by his investment in Liverpool, the soccer team he co-owns.

The Reds recently won the English Premier League title, and the four-time NBA champion congratulated the team and some of its leaders for the big accomplishment.

“I want to say congratulations to the champions, once again bringing home another trophy," James said. "You know it is always special to do it with a group of guys that you love. Shout out to the captains, Virgil (van Dijk) and Mo (Salah), salute to you. Continue to lead, continue to strive for greatness and always know YNWA. So go Reds. Love you guys."

Liverpool fans reacted to his salute and expressed their thoughts about it on social media.

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"He is so unintentionally funny," a fan tweeted.

"Looks like Mo is vice captain then," one fan wrote.

"That means Salah is the next vice captain," another fan wrote.

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James left out Trent Alexander-Arnold from his message, and given that he's also a vice captain, some speculated whether it was an accident or he snubbed him on purpose. Alexander-Arnold went from being a fan favorite to a pariah for the way he handled his contract situation and eventual departure for Real Madrid.

"Not mentioning Trent brightened my day," a fan commented.

"He didn't even mention Trent," one fan said.

"Didn't mention Trent. He is the GOAT none of this Magic and Kobe nonsense," another fan commented.

LeBron James will stay with the Lakers, says insider

Investments and business endeavors aside, LeBron James is still a basketball player first and foremost, and despite some speculation, that's not likely to change any time soon.

According to Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, the four-time NBA champion is leaning towards opting out of his player option for next season to sign a new two-year deal with the LA Lakers.

"Look for James to give himself a bit of wiggle room, then, by declining his option and re-signing with the Lakers on a two-year, roughly $105 million deal with a player option on the second season," Buckley wrote on May 15.

That would put him in a position to play not only with Bronny James, his firstborn son, but also his younger son Bryce, who committed to play for Arizona.

He will be eligible to declare for the 2026 NBA draft and potentially team up with his father and older brother. It would be one of the most iconic and unique stories in sports history.

About the author

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez