During a recent episode of UNINTERRUPTED’s Road Trippin’ podcast, LeBron James and teammate Dwayne Wade reminisced about some of their shared experiences, and LeBron recounted a particularly harrowing incident from his past. It turns out that there was a time when LeBron genuinely believed that he was in serious danger while flying on an old team plane back in 2003 when he had just joined the Cavaliers.
LeBron’s fear wasn’t about a mere inconvenience; he was convinced the plane might crash. The plane’s age and condition were concerning to him, and he had already expressed his worries about it. The plane, painted in the old Cavaliers’ colors, had seen better days, and LeBron’s concerns proved to be well-founded.
On a flight from Detroit to Houston, everyone on board, including LeBron, experienced a terrifying ordeal. Smoke started coming out of the kitchen, the lights flickered, and the turbulence was severe. Passengers, including the team owner’s pregnant wife, were vomiting, and even the stewardess ended up with a broken ankle due to the turbulence.
LeBron vividly remembered the chaos and how he felt during the flight:
“Our owner’s wife was pregnant at the time. She threw up multiple times. A couple of my family members threw up. Our stewardess broke her ankle. We looked into the kitchen at one point during the flight and there was smoke coming out of the kitchen. The lights were flickering on and off. I was like, ‘Oh my God, no one wants to listen to me. I believe this is it.’ Obviously, I’m still here to talk about it. Nothing happened. But the following year, we had a new plane.”
LeBron’s description of the incident, while intense, showed his vulnerability and genuine fear at the time. Thankfully, the story had a happy ending, and the following year, the team got a new plane that undoubtedly provided a safer and more comfortable experience for all involved.
As we reflect on this incident, it’s a reminder that even larger-than-life sports icons like LeBron James can experience moments of genuine fear and uncertainty. It also highlights the importance of safety in professional sports and the impact that players can have on improving their working conditions.