LeBron James stopped short of naming a Super Bowl LX winner on live television, instead saying he would support whoever comes out on top.
The Los Angeles Lakers star was asked for his prediction immediately after a win and made it clear he did not want to upset fans by backing either team.
That response stood in contrast to comments he made earlier in the week.
LeBron James declines to pick Super Bowl winner on ESPN
LeBron James addressed Super Bowl LX during an on-court postgame interview with Lisa Salters following the Lakers’ win over the Golden State Warriors.
When Salters asked who he had winning the Super Bowl, James initially pushed back, saying people would be mad at him if he picked a team.
After being pressed again, James responded, “I got the winner.”
The exchange made clear that James was deliberately avoiding naming either the New England Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks on live television.
LeBron James previously picked Seattle Seahawks on podcast
Earlier in the week, James was more forthcoming when discussing Super Bowl LX during a DraftKings ad prediction.
Explaining his thinking, James said, “We all want to see a great Super Bowl, obviously, between two competitive teams, two well-coached teams, and they’re here for a reason. My prediction, I got Seattle coming out victorious.”
He went on to outline why he leaned toward the Seahawks, pointing to their performance across the season.
“Right now, I just seen what they’ve been able to do all year. All unbelievable defense. They fly around. They got some heavy hitters on offense as well. Sam Darnold, he’s bounced back from last year’s playoff performance. You know, they’re super well coached.”
The comments showed that while James avoided making a public pick on game day, he had already shared a clear preference earlier in the week.
By Super Bowl Sunday, James chose neutrality on camera, even if his earlier remarks suggested where his confidence lay.
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