A man was arrested after being spotted on the grounds of LeBron James' Los Angeles home Friday night, while James was playing in Cleveland.
According to TMZ, security called police around 9 p.m. after cameras captured a man on the property. Officers arrested him for stalking, and he told them he believed he was James' son. Police said he did not enter the residence, and a stalking report was taken, the outlet reported.
Stalking in the United States
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 1.3% (3.4 million) of U.S. residents age 16 or older were victims of stalking in 2019.
James was more than 2,000 miles away in Ohio, playing for Philadelphia against Cleveland that night, according to TMZ's report.
The Incident Unfolded During a Game
Cleveland beat Philadelphia 119-95 in an NBA Cup group-stage game, with James scoring eight points, according to MLive.
MLive reported that Cleveland fans welcomed James during introductions, then booed him when he touched the ball in the first half.
The Cavaliers' Tribute to James
Despite James' long history in Cleveland, the Cavaliers skipped the kind of sendoff moment fans might have expected. There was no video tribute to James, described by MLive as a surprising omission from recent years, given that the team has shown tribute highlights before — including clips of Cleveland's Game 7 win in the 2016 NBA Finals, when the franchise won its first championship, and footage last season of James scoring 25 straight points in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, which reportedly left him in tears.
James was the first overall pick in 2003 and spent 11 seasons with Cleveland across two stints. MLive reported that he signed with Philadelphia this offseason rather than return to the Cavaliers for a third stint.
No official police statement, arrest record, or independent law-enforcement confirmation of the incident has been made public; details of the arrest and the suspect's comments to officers have so far come from TMZ and MLive reporting. The suspect's identity and any further details about his claim remain unknown.
