LeBron James gets serenaded by GOAT noises as he speaks at Fanatics fest

LeBron James made an appearance at this year’s Fanatics Fest in New York City, joining NFL icon Tom Brady and rising NBA star Victor Wembanyama for a live edition of his talk show, “The Shop: Uninterrupted.”

While reflecting on his basketball legacy and discussing how much longer he plans to play, James was met with fans in the audience playfully making goat noises in tribute.

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The “GOAT” nickname — short for “Greatest of All Time” — is common in sports circles, especially when comparing LeBron James and Michael Jordan in basketball debates.

James holds the NBA’s all-time scoring record, has secured four NBA championships, four MVPs and three Olympic gold medals, and has become the embodiment of durability with 22 seasons under his belt.

Over his career, James has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Jordan, meanwhile, posted career averages of 30.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.3 apg and 2.3 steals per contest — and crucially, won six titles without ever losing in the Finals.

Tom Brady calls LeBron James “the greatest ever”

During the Fanatics Fest panel, Tom Brady didn’t hold back in his praise for LeBron James, commending his excellence amid relentless scrutiny.

"The different teams that (LeBron James) has been on, he's always done things the right way," Brady said. "He's always risen above the noise, continuing to deliver. You’re witnessing the greatest ever and I hope you all appreciate that."

Even as his greatness is widely recognized, James is clearly entering the final phase of his career. He holds a $52 million player option with the Lakers for next season and could become a free agent afterward.

At the panel, James also joked that Victor Wembanyama — the league leader in blocks at 3.8 per game — might accelerate his exit from the game.

"I don't know.. I can't play that much further. The more and more time I play, as long as he (Victor Wembanyama) keeps smacking my shots into the stands, it's going to make me retire," James said.

Still, if the Lakers make the right offseason moves — potentially targeting big names in free agency or trades — James could have one more championship run left in him, especially with Luka Doncic as his co-star.

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About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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