Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James went viral during Monday's 126-107 win over the Chicago Bulls after taking a sip of wine from a fan's cup in the stands. While James has garnered plenty of attention, along with mixed reactions, one Philly-based reporter tracked down the fan and asked him some questions.
Kris Rhim of ESPN spoke with Troy Clemons, the 76ers fan James took a swig of his wine from. Clemons shared his side of the story, claiming the 41-year-old simply bumped into him, spilled the wine, then took a quick sip from the cup before handing it back to him. Clemons overall said he's just there at the game having a good time. In terms of where the cup went, he says he threw it away in the trash instead of keeping it.
“LeBron crashed into me,” Clemons said. “[James] grabbed me and he said, ‘My bad.' My drink spilled everywhere. He took my drink from me and he basically just took a sip of it, gave it back, and ran back onto the [court]… I'm just glad for him to be here. I'm not worried about the wine getting on me… But I appreciate everything the Sixers are doing, and I'm here to have a good time, man…
“At the end of the day, [James is] another man like me,” Clemons said when asked about the location of the cup. “He's a regular man. I mean, he's LeBron, but at the end of the day, I threw that cup in the trash. And it's nothing up with him… I just got a fresh drink, though.”
Article Continues BelowJust interviewed Troy Clemons, the Sixers fan whose wine LeBron took a sip of during tonight’s game
And no, he did not save the cup https://t.co/U3oV3Y2ArH pic.twitter.com/vWzkhGJxmH
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) November 3, 2026
The 24-year veteran received plenty of reactions on social media. Some individuals claimed they would never wash that cup, while others stated they'd try to sell it. Additionally, there was some backlash, too, as plenty of individuals called out James for drinking alcohol in front of a full arena and broadcasted game.
Amidst the viral moment, LeBron James played a game that was essentially on par with his season averages. The four-time MVP finished the contest with 15 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, and a steal while shooting 46.2% from the field.

