"Phew, phew... that's how LeBron felt, how do you like that?" - Lance Stephenson still regrets blowing in LeBron's ear after what a drunk fan did
Lance Stephenson never had the kind of career that's getting its own documentary. He bounced around the league, played for eight different teams and the highest scoring average he ever put up came during the 2015-16 season with the Memphis Grizzlies — 14.2 points per game, for those wondering.
But for all the midrange pull-ups and flashy ball fakes, there's one moment that will live on long after his stats are forgotten. Yeah, that moment, when Lance leaned over during the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals and gently blew into LeBron James' ear.
One of the most "memeable" NBA moments
It was both weird and hilarious. And it instantly became one of the most "memeable" moments in NBA history. Game 5, Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat, with Indiana trying to avoid elimination. Everyone knew Miami was the better team; they were deeper, more experienced and led by the best player on the planet.
But Lance? He wasn't trying to match LeBron bucket for bucket. His job was to disrupt, distract, get in his head any way possible. So he tried the unthinkable and ended up creating a moment that still follows him to this day.
During the early 2010s, the Pacers and Heat squared off in what became one of the NBA's fiercest postseason rivalries. On one side, you had Miami's Big 3. On the other, a rugged Indiana squad that prided itself on defense, physicality, and making LeBron's life hell for 48 (and sometimes even more) minutes. And at the center of that chaos was Stephenson, Indiana's wild card, tasked with pestering the King at every turn.
But even in that high-stakes environment, nobody expected Lance to pull out that move. And at the time, Stephenson didn't think much of it either. It was just another mind game.
Only later did he realize that moment would follow him well beyond the court.
"I ain't gonna lie, I regret it sometimes, because we was at the club… and I'm standing at the bar and some drunk dude coming, 'Pheew, pheew,'" recalled Lance while imitating the blowing he felt right next to his ear.
"I was like, 'Yo, what the f—-, are you crazy?' and he was like, 'That's how LeBron felt, how do you like that? I was about to go ham! I was about to go crazy on him," the fiery wing added, laughing about it now.Stephenson will always be remembered as the guy who did "The Blow"
Lance was never the quiet type. From dancing after big shots to staring opponents down after and-ones, even strumming the air like a guitar during player intros. That chaotic, unpredictable energy was baked into his DNA. It's what made him a fan favorite, and depending on the night, either a spark plug or a coach's headache.
He might not go down as a guy who led his team to a title or racked up jaw-dropping stats, but he carved out a place in basketball history all the same, just not for the reasons he might've envisioned.
Because at the end of the day, he is, and will always be remembered as the guy who blew into the King's ear.
And like it or not, that's something, right?This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
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