LeBron James has been improving his image by the week, and most if it is due to spontaneous, genuine interactions with fans.
Two weeks ago, LeBron rushed a fan at midcourt, tackled him, and gave him a massive hug in celebration after the fan made a halfcourt shot to win $75,000 during a Miami Heat-Detroit Pistons game. On Friday night, James played an impromptu game of catch with a fan who was wearing his replica jersey after a ball went into the stands during the second quarter of the Heat’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
It turns out the game of catch with LeBron was only part of what has been a vacation of incredible fortune for the fan.
ESPN’s Lisa Salters interviewed the lucky fan late in the fourth quarter of Miami’s 111-89 win, and the man said he was on vacation from Honduras. Not only did the fan, whose name is Adolfo, attend Friday’s Heat-Clippers game where he played catch with LeBron, but he says he also went to the Super Bowl last weekend.
Adolfo says playing catch with LeBron was the best moment of his life.
“Ever! In my life! This is the most exciting thing I’ve ever lived in my life,” he said with jubilation.
Here’s video of the interview:
Adolfo says he has been getting calls and text messages from friends and family who saw what happened. He seemed stunned and excited that the play had made YouTube and was being discussed on Facebook.
In addition to playing catch with LeBron, Adolfo was named the Heat Fan of the Game and awarded a $300 gift certificate to Party City.
Adolfo even met former NBA coach and current ABC/ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy, who was in town to call the game Friday night, earlier in the day while eating at a deli. He showed off the picture he took with Van Gundy:
Does this man have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, or what? As great as things have been going for Adolfo, he does have one small complaint.
“I wanted to keep the ball. I thought the ball was mine, so when I threw it back to [LeBron], and he threw it back to me, I thought he was giving it to me.”
I guess you can’t quite have it all, Adolfo.
