What is the "LeBron Jahamez" nickname story? Exploring the origins of the toy that went viral owing to its name
LeBron James has many nicknames, but LeBron Jahamez is one the least talked about. The name stemmed from a child attempting to pronounce the name of the LA Lakers star.
While most know him as "King James," "LBJ" or "Chosen One," "LeBron Jahamez" can now be added to the list. Following an attempt at saying his name correctly, the kid became a viral sensation on YouTube.
In the video, the kid shows a toy that he found of the 19-time All-Star. He first says the name wrong, then goes to google to see if he said it properly. After searching the internet, he comes back and says it wrong once again. On the third try, he finally came to the realization that it is LeBron James.
The video got so popular online that one person went and made a remix to the original.
What is the LeBron Jahamez toy from the viral video?
The LeBron Jahamez toy stems from LeBron James' debut on the big screen. During the summer of 2021, the NBA icon starred in "Space Jam: A New Legacy." The film was a modern spin on the hit film "Space Jam" that starred Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and featured other legends like Larry Bird.
Similar to the original, other NBA stars made an appearance in the film. Only this time, it was as voice actors for animated characters. The list of players includes fellow LA Lakers star Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard. WNBA stars Nneka Ogwumike and Diana Taurasi also appeared in the film.
The toy was part of a "Goo Jit Zu" line that came out after the release of the film. Along with LeBron, figures were made for Bugs Bunny and the Tasmanian Devil.
Despite being a spin on an old classic, the film managed to perform well at the box office. In total, the movie made over $163 million. However, the reviews were not as great. Known review site "Rotten Tomatoes" gave it an approval rating of 26% and it finished with a rating of 4.4 out of ten.
Even though the film didn't get great reviews, this viral video still managed to give a good amount of laughs.