Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James—two of the greatest in their sports—share more than just on-court dominance. Both have also faced accusations of flopping a little too much. Whether it’s Mahomes drawing flags or James selling contact, critics love calling them out. But while some see it as flopping, others call it a smart strategy.

On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Pat didn’t hold back. He asked LeBron straight up, “Let’s talk about you flopping all over the place. That’s why people get mad.” Fans had been waiting for this moment, flooding McAfee’s X account with comments like, “Ask him why he flops so much.”

With LeBron’s now-famous moment from the Lakers vs. Celtics game on March 9, 2024—when Jayson Tatum’s arm barely grazed his chin, but Bron sold it like he’d been hit—still fresh, Pat probably thought, “Why not go for it?” And he did.

McAfee didn’t stop there. He compared Mahomes and LeBron, saying, “Now why do you do that? Patrick Mahomes does the same thing. He’s the greatest of all time—for us—in a conversation of the greatest of all time. The rules say if you hit him, he gets 15. Is that the same thing for you?” LeBron James was ready.

Laughing it off, he fired back, “I wish! I wish! Because over the last five or six years, while everyone says I flop, I’m actually in the bottom half of free throw attempts per game.” And honestly? He’s got a point.

LeBron’s been averaging 5-6 free throws per game, far less than stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who get to the line almost twice as much. Maybe, just maybe, we’ve been giving Bron a little too much heat.

McAfee’s point about GOATs getting favorable treatment wasn’t without merit. He brought up a moment from The Last Dance, saying, “There’s a video where the ref tells Michael Jordan, ‘I didn’t see it, Michael. I’m so sorry. I would never do that to you.’” LeBron immediately chimed in, “Oh yeah, I saw that.” Jordan’s reaction? A frustrated, “Oh god damn it, mother…” LeBron’s agreement with that clip adds some context to why people think he gets the same treatment.

While this debate can go on forever, LeBron let his game do the talking in tonight’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers—and oh boy, what a game it was! With the clock winding down, LeBron stepped up in the final second to seal the win. And Patrick Mahomes? He had something to say about it.

Patrick Mahomes tips his crown to LeBron James buzzer-beater

LeBron James wasn’t having his best night — far from it. He struggled all game, going just 3-for-11 from the field and missing all three of his three-point attempts. To make things worse, he didn’t even get his first field goal until the fourth quarter. But when it mattered most, LeBron flipped the script.

With just 0.2 seconds left on the clock, he came through with a clutch tip-in buzzer-beater, lifting the Lakers to a nail-biting 120-119 win over the Indiana Pacers.

And this wasn’t just any game-winner. LeBron’s heroics extended his mind-blowing 18-year streak of scoring in double digits and added another feather to his cap. His clutch moment didn’t go unnoticed, either. Patrick Mahomes, clearly impressed, took to X and posted a crown emoji in honor of LeBron’s buzzer-beater, showing love from one GOAT to another.

With this shot, LeBron also tied Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson for the second-most game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history. Only Michael Jordan, with nine, is ahead of him.

For all the debates about flopping and favorable treatment, moments like these remind everyone why LeBron is still one of the best to ever do it. Even on an off night, he found a way to deliver when it counted most—just like Mahomes has done countless times on the field. And if anyone still doubts his ability to take over a game, well, the buzzer-beater (and that crown emoji from Mahomes) says it all.