LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has had enough of social media negativity. The Lakers superstar announced Wednesday that he’s stepping away from his massive social media presence, which includes 159 million Instagram followers and 52.9 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). The announcement came after James faced criticism for claiming he had watched Dalton Knecht’s college games at Tennessee last season. “Everybody on the internet called me a liar all the time,” James said, referring to the skepticism he faced about scouting the Lakers’ rookie sensation before the draft.

The final straw appeared to be a repost from Kevin Durant’s manager, Rich Kleiman, who questioned why sports coverage couldn’t unite people the way sports itself does. “We can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally brings people together. So why can’t the coverage do the same?” Kleiman wrote on X.

James emphatically agreed, adding “Damn shame what it’s come to!” on his Instagram post. At 39 years old (turning 40 next month), James remains one of the NBA’s elite players despite being the league’s oldest active player. His Lakers are currently riding a six-game winning streak and sit at 10-4, suggesting that King James has plenty left in the tank even as he distances himself from social media drama.

The timing of James’s social media exit is particularly interesting given his recent vindication regarding Knecht. The rookie’s breakout performances, including his recent 37-point explosion against the Jazz, have proven that James’s eye for talent remains as sharp as ever. Still, the constant online skepticism appears to have worn thin on the four-time NBA champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist.

James ended his farewell post with his trademark flair, using a two-finger peace sign emoji and a crown emoji – a fitting reminder of his “King James” moniker. While it’s unclear how long this social media break will last, one thing’s certain: James is choosing to let his on-court performance do the talking while the Lakers continue their promising start to the season.

“Where Is The Flag On Beyoncé“: Social Media Is Destroying The NFL After Cameras Caught Beyonce’s Disgusting Gesture During Her Halftime Performance On Christmas Day

Beyonce (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The NFL and Beyonce are being criticized on the back of the latter’s halftime performance during the Christmas Day showdown between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.

The fixture, streamed exclusively on Netflix, saw the Ravens pick up a convincing 31-2 victory.

Beyonce gave the crowd quite the performance at halftime but sparked some controversy after making a gun gesture with her fingers.

Fans Wanted Fines And Flags For Beyonce 

Fans thought it strange that Beyonce could bust out the guns while NFL players get fined for it. They thought she should have at least gotten flagged.

“Where is the flag on Beyoncé for the finger guns?!?!” someone asked.

“Queen Bey’s tone-deaf finger gun display at Netflix’s Christmas game highlights celebrity privilege, while NFL players get fined for basic touchdown celebrations,” a user chimed in.

“Would just like to note that Beyoncé is doing the double gun gesture which is banned in the NFL and a 15 yard penalty,” someone else added.

“Xavier worthy gets a 15 yard penalty for lifting his shirt (pretending he has a gun in his belt) but Beyoncé can fake shoot at halftime? “Bang” Does the NFL fine her?” a fan asked.

Of course, the league couldn’t have known the artist would perform such a gesture and probably didn’t brief her accordingly. But she could well afford to pay any fine thrown at her if there were any possibility.

Beyonce Has Been Taking On Criticism From Elsewhere Heading Into The End Of The Year

Beyonce has come under fire elsewhere in recent months, given the scrutiny now being afforded to celebrities with close ties to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in the wake of his arrest.

Her husband, Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, was recently named in a lawsuit alleging the rape of a 13-year-old girl. The rapper has denied the allegations and gone on the offensive.

Beyonce herself has been accused of possibly taking part in questionable activity involving children, with former NFL star Larry Johnson claiming he heard her saying something very offputting to a child at a party.

The artist’s newest album, “Cowboy Carter,” has been a source of controversy as well. While it denotes her Texas heritage, it has split the opinion as some have praised her creativity while others feel like it’s overly s3xualized.