"Why wasn't more made out of this?": Skip Bayless questions LeBron James' absence at Dwyane Wade's Hall of Fame induction
LeBron James' absence at the 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony where his good friend Dwyane Wade got inducted may not have made the headlines. However, his most consistent critic, Skip Bayless, has ensured this instance is not going under the radar. Bayless called out LeBron's critics, saying this on his podcast:
"Why wasn't more made out of this? Oh yeah, that's right, LeBron James is the most protected athlete in the history of sports. So I guess gotta sweep that under the carpet and move along nothing to see here except for me. I'm sorry, I'm going to ask the question where was LeBron?"
Bayless wasn't impressed with LeBron not being there for several reasons. He believes Wade and James share a "big brother little brother bond." That could've stemmed from their relationship as draft mates, championship-winning teammates with Miami and their frequent presence at each other's celebrations and events.
Hall of Fame was a big deal for Dwyane Wade, which sparked this particular reaction from Skip Bayless. The TV analyst also revealed that LeBron James didn't make it to Wade's after-party. He confirmed that from his good friend rapper Lil Wayne, who performed for Wade at the event.
Another reason Bayless wasn't impressed with LeBron's absence was that the LA Lakers star uploaded a video two days later as he drove around Akron, singing along to legendary pop star Michael Jackson's "Heartbreak Hotel" song. Bayless questioned LeBron having the time to be in his hometown but not Springfield in Massachusetts, where the Hall of Fame ceremony took place on Saturday.
Skip Bayless speculates LeBron James may have wanted to give Dwyane Wade the spotlight on his special day
Skip Bayless' TV career has been filled with controversial opinions about LeBron James. He made another outrageous speculation when he spun a narrative regarding his absence at Dwayne Wade's Hall of Fame induction and after-party.
Bayless wasn't a fan of LeBron not being there. However, he was also confused about why that was the case. James spoke in the video montage prepared for Wade with several former teammates and coaches congratulating him on his Hall of Fame induction.
James also posted a heartfelt message for his close friend and former teammate on Instagram. Bayless speculated that James may have kept away from the public eye during Wade's celebrations. He revealed his conversation with Lil Wayne, who was at Wade's after-party, saying:
"Wayne and I discussed the possibility of LeBron being in Springfield, but staying completely out of sight. Maybe because he didn't wanna upstage Dwyane's day?"
For all we know, LeBron James may have had a prior commitment, which Dwyane Wade was aware of. James' absence could also be due to him avoiding interaction with the public amid a stressful offseason with his son, Bronny James, suffering a cardiac arrest recently.
James and Wade's relationship doesn't seem to be affected, especially considering how open-heartedly the former celebrated the latter on his social media on entering the Hall of Fame.