Barstool Sports Founder Rips LeBron James

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has never shied away from controversy, and his latest comments about LeBron James are no exception.

Portnoy called LeBron “one of the greatest losers in the history of the Lakers organization” and claimed, “that bubble saved his life,” in a fiery rant.

“I will say this – LeBron James is one of the greatest losers in the history of the Lakers organization,” Portnoy said. “He quite literally has never won anything. He’s going to go back to that bubble, and boy that bubble saved his life. His Lakers teams have not been a threat to do anything. He’s been a total bum, a total failure. He’s ruined the franchise – he forced them at gunpoint to draft their kid. He, to then be like, ‘I’m mad.’ All they’ve tried to do is accommodate him, and they’ve made a mockery out of a once proud franchise.”

Dave Portnoy calls LeBron James a ‘total bum’ and ‘failure’ pic.twitter.com/OanHzdr3Iy

— New York Post (@nypost) July 15, 2025

This isn’t the first time Portnoy has taken aim at the four-time NBA champion.

Back in 2022, he slammed LeBron as a “fool” for blaming the United States for Brittney Griner’s situation in Russia.

LeBron, however, has bigger things on his mind as he heads into his 23rd NBA season.

After picking up his $50 million player option for 2025-26, James is set to break Vince Carter’s record for the most seasons played in league history.

Despite ongoing speculation about a possible trade or buyout, The Athletic recently reported the Lakers have received no indication from LeBron or his camp that he plans to leave.

Whether or not James can silence his critics with another championship remains to be seen. For now, Portnoy’s latest tirade adds fuel to the fire in what could be a historic year for LeBron and the Lakers.

READ MORE: Scout Dismisses Talk of LeBron James Returning to Cavaliers