NBA fans wondered why LeBron kept his blue check after saying he wouldn’t pay for Twitter Blue

Twitter CEO Elon Musk finally dropped the hammer and removed all verified checkmarks from accounts not registering for Twitter Blue.

Although many notable athletes lost their blue checkmarks, there was one player in particular whose still-verified account stood out following the purge on Thursday: Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Last month, LeBron tweeted “If you know me, I ain’t paying the 5 [dollars].”

Several other pro athletes, including Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also said they would rather lose their checkmarks than subscribe to Twitter Blue.

Did Bron change his mind?

(h/t @OldTakesExposed) pic.twitter.com/RNBEsvXp87

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2023

But it didn’t take long to notice LeBron still has a verified account.

Did he think he would not get caught in this potential white lie? Or is it something even more petty than that?

It is entirely possible Twitter comped LeBron and Stephen King for the premium service after both said they would not subscribe to make it look like they changed their mind.

LeBron and Stephen King still having checks makes me think they didn't pay and that Elon specifically preserved theirs because they publicly embarrassed him.

— Barry Petchesky (@barry) April 20, 2023

That theory is even more likely when recalling that the leaked Twitter algorithm gives a boost to LeBron’s account.

But whether he personally pays for it or not, using some light detective work from a Google Chrome plugin called Eight Dollars, we can confirm LeBron’s account is at least subscribed to Twitter Blue:

LeBron isn’t the only NBA player to subscribe to Twitter Blue.

Others include just Carmelo Anthony, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Klay Thompson, Brandon Clarke, Marc Gasol, Frank Kaminsky, RJ Hampton, and Enes Freedom.

Still, however, LeBron was roasted for potentially not sticking to his word.