“Bad basketball parent” is what Doug Gottlieb called LeBron James. Accusing him of using his influence to push his son Bronny’s career ahead of his readiness. For many, those words stung. LeBron, typically unflappable, remained quiet for some time. But when the time came for a reaction, it wasn’t subtle — it was social media gold. LeBron was not just defending his son; he was settling a score with a public shot at a critic who had ventured to question his family.

In February 2025, after another brutal 3-24 season, Green Bay’s basketball team broke a 21-game losing streak. What could have been a small victory for the team turned into a prime opportunity for LeBron to come back. He tweeted congratulations on the win that read, “Earned 2 Not Given! Gotta give him credit though!” with laughing and poop emoji. To many viewers, it was obvious that he was mocking Doug Gottlieb and his disastrous coaching season while taking shots at the man who once dismissed his son’s basketball career.

But the reaction didn’t sit well with everyone. Monse Bolanos and Dan Beyer discussed the situation on The Doug Gottlieb Show, and their take wasn’t all applause for the King. Bolanos condemned LeBron for taking part in what she described as petty behavior. “LeBron, you have nothing better to do than tweet Doug Gottlieb off of this win?” she asked, describing, “like it is the lowest of hanging fruit. Isn’t your foot messed up? shouldn’t you be worried about that? like I don’t get like why Lebron. To me it makes LeBron look a little bit pathetic, if I’m being completely honest.”

LeBron’s comment was about much more than Green Bay’s dismal season. It was a direct reply to Gottlieb’s earlier comments about Bronny. Gottlieb had said that Bronny wasn’t good enough to start for Green Bay’s team. A statement that many considered dismissive of Bronny’s talent. LeBron, not one to back down over family, ensured that his critique was loud and clear, mixing personal pride with a dig at Gottlieb’s unsuccessful coaching.

Dan Beyer made a good point from the other side. “It’s completely hypocritical for LeBron to call out Doug for being in a job that LeBron says was given to him and not earned when that’s the whole point that people are saying about Bronny James.” he said. In short, Beyer was calling out the irony in LeBron’s predicament.

This isn’t an argument between a coach and a famous parent — there’s more to this story. Gottlieb, who has been publicly known for years, has been criticized for his dual role as a coach and a national radio personality. Critics said his media obligations got in the way of his compiling an effective Green Bay basketball program. His inexperience as a college coach only deepened these concerns, and the team’s struggles only made his case worse.

Is LeBron James’s criticism of the Green Bay coach justified?

LeBron James, of course, is accustomed to the public eye. Whether it was the infamous “Decision” back in 2010. When he announced he was leaving Cleveland for the Miami Heat, or his countless critics when it came to decisions on the court, there has never been a shortage of people hating on LeBron James.

He also had an infamous moment in 2021. When he had a heated exchange with a fan in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. The footage of the fight would turn viral and all over social media after LeBron tagged the fan as “Courtside Karen”. Although the incident made waves, LeBron said later that he welcomed interactions with fans, no matter how heated things got. It was yet another example of how LeBron manages public criticism. But this time it was more than just a rebuke to criticism of him on the basketball court — it was about family.

Back to his social media feud with Gottlieb — given the former’s trolling, one might consider this a long-awaited retaliatory strike. After all, Gottlieb had taken his shots at Bronny over the years, and this moment felt like an opportunity for LeBron to have the last laugh. But Bolanos and Beyer’s criticisms do pose a valid question: Was LeBron’s public roasting of a struggling coach really justified? Or did it hurt his image as a role model? What do you think?