LeBron James has some questions about the controversy surrounding NBA official Eric Lewis.
Lewis is under fire after a Twitter account was unearthed that appears to be his burner. The account defended Lewis on multiple occasions after he was criticized by various users.
James had the question many others have had, which the Los Angeles Lakers superstar expressed on Twitter.
“This Eric Lewis [poop emoji] true???” James tweeted — his first message on the social media platform since May 14.
The NBA has opened an official investigation into the account and Lewis’ actions, per veteran reporter Marc Stein. ESPN also confirmed the review, citing that the “potential issue is a league rule against referees commenting on officiating publicly without authorization.” Lewis could potentially face discipline if it’s proven he made the statements.
The last tweet from the account claimed that it belonged to Mark Lewis, Eric’s older brother.
“I’m sorry that I put E, in this situation, but this ain’t Watergate. You’re right, the account WILL be coming down. Twitter should not be this vindictive,” the tweet read. “Sorry to inconvenience you.”
Eric Lewis Had Key Missed Call Against Lakers
Lewis is one of the more veteran officials in the league, with 1,098 regular-season games to his name over 18-plus seasons. He has also refereed 82 playoff games, including six NBA Finals games.
Lewis had a notably missed call this season in a matchup between the Celtics and Lakers that featured James. The Lakers star was fouled on his potential game-winner but it was not called and the Celtics went on to win in overtime. The play gained extra notoriety after then-Lakers guard Patrick Beverley grabbed a photographer’s camera in an attempt to show Lewis it was a foul. Beverley was assessed a technical.
“Laughed at me when I grabbed the camera,” Beverley tweeted after hearing the latest news about Lewis. “Yea aight.”
The NBA referee union also put out a statement after the missed call.
“Like everyone else, referees make mistakes,” the statement said. “We made one at the end of last night’s game and that is gut-wrenching for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be.”
LeBron James Still Quiet on Retirement Talk
Outside of the question about Lewis, James has remained quiet since the Lakers were bounced from the postseason — falling to the Denver Nuggets in a four-game sweep in the Western Conference Finals.
The 38-year-old James is weighing retirement and said he has a lot to think about before making a decision on his future.
“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said on May 22. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball.”
James is expected to return for a 21st season in the NBA, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. James has two years left on his current contract — the final being a player option. He averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in the postseason, playing 38.7 minutes per game.
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Lakers Star LeBron James Breaks Silence With Question