As NBATV prepared to broadcast Friday night’s crucial Western Conference matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, the network returned from a break during the pregame show with footage of LeBron James warming up at Crypto.com Arena—shirtless, a sight that caught Basketball Hall of Famer and NBATV analyst Isiah Thomas completely off guard. Thomas could hardly believe his eyes as he expressed his discontent during a lengthy critique that extended into the second half of another game being played in Detroit. He criticized The King for a supposed lack of “professionalism” and urged commissioner Adam Silver to impose a fine on James.
“I totally 100% object to this. If I were the GM or the coach, I would never allow one of my players to step onto the floor looking like this. We represent a professional NBA league, not Summer League or the YMCA,” Thomas exclaimed. “The professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much.”
“I totally 100% object to this … the professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much.”
Isiah Thomas tees off on LeBron James for warming up shirtless pregame in L.A. 😬 pic.twitter.com/j7YPgkcbrc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 12, 2025
However, anyone who has covered an NBA game or had the opportunity to be courtside during pregame knows this behavior is typical for James. He often dons cut-out t-shirts as tank tops or goes shirtless. Usually, his warmups go unnoticed since he tends to finish before the fans are allowed entry to the arena. In this instance, however, NBATV cameras captured him, which did not sit well with Thomas.
“I like LeBron; I’m a fan of his,” the two-time champion point guard said. “But to step out onto the floor before the game without a shirt and shoot—where are we at? What are we doing? Adam Silver, if you want to fine someone, fine that.” Of course, it’s worth noting that Thomas himself, along with his Pistons teammates, were known for their brash and physical playing style during the infamous 1980s “Bad Boys” era. Additionally, during his tenure with the Knicks in the mid-2000s, Thomas faced a sexual harassment lawsuit from a senior Knicks business executive, a case the franchise ultimately settled for nearly $12 million.
The NBA has evolved in many ways since Thomas’s time, but James’ decision to warm up without a shirt likely doesn’t rank high on most fans’ list of concerns.
