In May 2024, the basketballer reportedly unfollowed the hip-hop mogul on Instagram, a move that sparked rumors of tension between the two friends.
A viral post shared on X on Sept. 16, 2024, by the account NBACentel claimed that NBA star LeBron James made a comment about hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest in New York City earlier that day. The post read:

LeBron comments on P Diddy getting arrested: “It’s crazy, I was bumping to ‘Mo Money Mo Problem’ earlier today in the car and I had a weird feeling today was the day the feds will catch Diddy.”

(TheNBACentel/X)

This claim, which gained 7 million views, as of this writing, suggested that James had some foresight into the federal arrest of Diddy. But is there any truth to the claim that the Los Angeles Laker made such a comment?

The claim that the basketball star said he had a “weird feeling” about Diddy’s arrest is false. After investigating the origins of the statement, there is no evidence to support that James made such a comment. A thorough Google search and examination of credible news sources reveal no reputable outlets reporting this alleged statement by the basketball star.

While NBACentel pointed to another account on X as the source of the quote, that of noted sports writer and broadcaster Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (known as @ScoopB on X), no such post regarding James’ alleged statement about Diddy’s arrest existed on Robinson’s X account.

Moreover, the claim had already been debunked by sports media outlet EssentiallySports, which confirmed that James did not make the statement attributed to him. The site specifically addressed the viral X post, clarifying that NBACentel on X is an “NBA parody account.” To add, EssentiallySport wrote, “As it turns out, its all a giant hoax and LeBron has made no such comments about the arrest.” The post appeared to be a baseless attempt to capitalize on the current news of Diddy’s legal troubles and subsequent arrest.

The Facts on Diddy’s Arrest
While James did not make the statement in question, Diddy’s arrest in New York City was very real. On Sept. 17, 2024, federal authorities indicted the music mogul on charges related to an alleged years-long racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy’s arrest was connected to the March 2024 federal raids on his Miami and Los Angeles residences.

The raids were part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation, during which agents confiscated electronic devices containing images and videos of sexual encounters from Diddy’s homes, according to unsealed court documents obtained by The Washington Post. This evidence led to further investigation by the Southern District of New York. A sealed indictment from a federal grand jury eventually prompted Diddy’s arrest, with the charges arising from this extended probe into the allegations. According to various sources, the charges could potentially lead to significant jail time.

While a New York judge denied Diddy’s bail request, his legal representation is reportedly repealing the decision.

LeBron James and Diddy Timeline
Adding to the confusion surrounding this claim may be the relationship between James and Diddy. In May 2024, the athlete reportedly unfollowed Diddy on his kingjames Instagram account, a move that sparked rumors of tension between the two friends. The unfollowing happened shortly after leaked videos surfaced online of Diddy allegedly assaulting his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura, which caused widespread backlash against the music mogul.

Some fans speculated that James distanced himself due to knowledge of Diddy’s impending legal troubles. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that James had any inside information regarding the federal investigation into Diddy’s activities.

The claim that James said he had a “weird feeling” about Diddy’s arrest is entirely false. No credible sources back this claim, which came from a parody account on X. While Diddy’s arrest was a real and significant event in the entertainment world, the viral post linking to LeBron’s alleged quote was entirely fabricated. Therefore, we rate this claim as false.

Snopes has previously reported on James, including the false claim that the International Olympic Committee investigated him for taking performance-enhancing drugs during the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the claim that he said in a 2018 HBO interview that he wants nothing to do with white people.