On March 20, 2013, LeBron James, then playing for the Miami Heat, debuted what is arguably his most iconic celebration of all time, known as the “Silencer.” It came at just the right time. On the verge of their 23rd straight win, the Heat found themselves trailing by as many as 27 points in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers. So when James drained a 3-pointer in transition early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 77, the current Los Angeles Lakers star was there, and amid all the hype, he had the crowd at Quicken Loans Arena The vitriolic audience remained silent.
Now, “The Silencer” has taken on a life of its own, with players from other sports capitalizing on the Lakers star’s signature celebration in incredible moments. The list of people who started this celebration is star-studded, including the greatest sprinter of all time Usain Bolt, American football star Odell Beckham Jr., Cam Newton, tennis star Nick Keye Goss and Francis Tiafoe and 2023 NFC MVP candidate Ronald Acuna Jr.
Simply put, LeBron James’ impact transcends all sports, as evidenced by @LBJHistory’s collection of celebrations on Instagram that have put together a tribute to the Lakers star. James expressed gratitude and awe after realizing the impact he had on his peers and even the next generation.
“Wow!! Man, I’m so humbled and sincerely honored by all the incredible athletes around the world that I rock with! ‘The Silencer’ is in full effect 🙏🏾✊🏽🫡🤎👑,” James said in his ’s Instagram Story wrote.
LeBron James doesn’t put out “The Silencer” very often these days, but it certainly left an indelible mark on the sports world. The Lakers star’s most memorable celebration dates back to February 12, 2014, when he plunged a dagger into the heart of the Golden State Warriors, helping the Heat win 111-110 on the road.
With the Lakers, James recently performed a super-difficult step-back three-pointer in overtime against the Indiana Pacers in the 2021-22 season, and he displayed the “silencer” in the 2021-22 season.
Hopefully in Year 21, LeBron James will use this type of celebration more often, especially since the Lakers are so popular with fans from opposing fans all year long.