LeBron James may be 41 years old, but the NBA’s all-time leading scorer hasn’t lost his “fastball” in one specific category: the art of the flop.
In a moment that Outkick analyst Zach Dean has dubbed LeBron’s “Mona Lisa,” a video has recently gone viral showing James during a high-stakes sequence against the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the clip, Clippers big man Yanic Konan Niederhäuser appears to give James a light elbow to the ribs. In response, James doubled over as if suffering a major injury and collapsed to the hardwood-a performance convincing enough to bait the officials into calling a Flagrant Foul 1.
For Dean, the play was nothing short of technical perfection. While the modern NBA often draws criticism for its lack of physicality compared to the early-2000s era of Kobe and Iverson, Dean suggests that James has elevated “flopping” into a legendary skill set that fans should almost respect.
Lebron: The “Master” of the sell
Nobody in the history of the league does it better, or has EVER done it better, than LeBron,” Dean noted. “The guy has perfected it in a way that, frankly, we’ll probably never see again. I’m not sure it’s possible for him to top it. 10/10. No notes. Perfection.
Comparing the experience to watching Tom Brady at the end of his tenure with the New England Patriots, Dean admitted that his previous annoyance with James’ theatrics has evolved into a form of begrudging admiration.
“I used to hate him. Towards the end, I just admired him,” Dean explained, referencing the “greatness” of watching a veteran still finding ways to manipulate the game in his favor. “That’s how I feel watching LeBron flop like a fish in 2026.”
James is still grinding at 41
Beyond the theatrics, the story highlights the remarkable longevity of the Lakers’ star. In an era often defined by “load management” and “tanking,” James remains a focal point of the league’s nightly schedule at age 41.
While critics may point to the “playground style” or the exaggerated contact as a sign of a “miserable” modern product, Dean argues that seeing LeBron still “out there grinding” and maintaining his elite ability to draw fouls is a spectacle in its own right.
If the “Mona Lisa” flop against Niederhäuser ends up being one of his final viral moments, Dean concludes it would be “one hell of a way to go out.”
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