Ric Flair Ditches Lakers Fandom, Backs LeBron James in Philadelphia

Ric Flair is changing his NBA allegiances, and it is quite the pivot. The wrestling legend has publicly thrown his support behind LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers, walking away from the Los Angeles Lakers fandom he had been vocal about for years.

The timing makes the switch especially notable. Just months earlier, Flair was firmly in the Lakers’ corner, going as far as criticizing Luka Doncic for not pushing through a hamstring injury during the playoffs because Flair wanted to see Los Angeles advance. Now, with James reportedly linked to Philadelphia, Flair has apparently decided his loyalty lies with wherever LeBron is playing rather than with the purple and gold.

It is not the first time Flair’s enthusiasm for pro sports has crossed over into wrestling media coverage. The Nature Boy has long been one of wrestling’s most visible crossover celebrities, showing up courtside at NBA games, popping up on sports talk shows, and never being shy about sharing his opinions on athletes and franchises. For a guy who built a 50-year career on being loud, brash, and unapologetically stylish, weighing in on basketball drama is very on-brand.

There is also something fitting about Flair aligning himself with James specifically. Both are larger-than-life figures who have spent decades as the face of their respective industries, drawing comparisons for their longevity, star power, and penchant for controversy. Flair calling himself a fan of James rather than a particular franchise tracks with how a lot of NBA fandom has evolved in the player empowerment era, where loyalty often follows a superstar rather than a city or jersey.

For wrestling fans, this kind of story is a reminder of just how much Flair remains a cultural fixture well outside the ring. Even in his 70s, and years removed from his last televised match, he continues to generate headlines simply by being himself, whether that is through appearances on wrestling programming, business ventures, or, in this case, jumping to a new NBA fanbase practically overnight.

Whether this allegiance sticks around any longer than his brief stint backing the Lakers remains to be seen. But if there is one lesson from Flair’s decades in the spotlight, it is that his opinions are rarely quiet, and rarely permanent. Philadelphia fans, at least for now, have a new celebrity supporter in their corner, and given Flair’s track record, it will be worth watching how long that lasts.