LeBron James has to have thick skin to endure all the taunts he gets on the road as the NBA's designated villain. But don't talk about his mother.
A heckler found that out to his chagrin during the Miami Heat's 106-92 win over the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills Friday night.
Listen to the confrontation here via CBSSports.com. WARNING: May not be suitable for family audiences.
According to Michael Wallace of ESPN.com, the trouble started when heckler shouted, "LeBron, is your mom going to Boston for Valentine's Day?"
James paused as if he was going to ignore the insult. Then he leaned over the announcers table to address the fan, a back and forth that was picked up by microphones.
"What did you say to me?" James asked the fan.
"I said, 'Is your mom going to Boston for Valentine's Day?'" the heckler repeated.
James two young sons were sitting within earshot. So the heckler was not only insulting James mother, Gloria James, but his sons' grandmother. That's when King James had enough.
"Say whatever you want to say to me. Just don't be disrespectful, alright? Alright, OK?" he told the heckler. "I don't give a (expletive) what you say. If you're disrespectful, it's a problem."
The heckler backed down and sat back in his seat. Two female fans in Pistons jerseys came to James defense. "That's right, LeBron. Tell him," they said.
After the game, James told Wallace he thought about walking away but changed his mind.
"I felt I needed to say something. As I said before, you have to draw the line somewhere. Fans can say whatever they want to say. But there are times when it's not right. I had to say something."
A heckler found that out to his chagrin during the Miami Heat's 106-92 win over the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills Friday night.
Listen to the confrontation here via CBSSports.com. WARNING: May not be suitable for family audiences.
According to Michael Wallace of ESPN.com, the trouble started when heckler shouted, "LeBron, is your mom going to Boston for Valentine's Day?"
James paused as if he was going to ignore the insult. Then he leaned over the announcers table to address the fan, a back and forth that was picked up by microphones.
"What did you say to me?" James asked the fan.
"I said, 'Is your mom going to Boston for Valentine's Day?'" the heckler repeated.
James two young sons were sitting within earshot. So the heckler was not only insulting James mother, Gloria James, but his sons' grandmother. That's when King James had enough.
"Say whatever you want to say to me. Just don't be disrespectful, alright? Alright, OK?" he told the heckler. "I don't give a (expletive) what you say. If you're disrespectful, it's a problem."
The heckler backed down and sat back in his seat. Two female fans in Pistons jerseys came to James defense. "That's right, LeBron. Tell him," they said.
After the game, James told Wallace he thought about walking away but changed his mind.
"I felt I needed to say something. As I said before, you have to draw the line somewhere. Fans can say whatever they want to say. But there are times when it's not right. I had to say something."
