Basketball superstar LeBron James will not be making his highly anticipated debut at the 2025 Met Gala due to a recent injury, he announced Monday. The Los Angeles Lakers forward, 40, was slated to serve as an honorary co-chair of this year’s fashion event, themed “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Just hours before the red carpet festivities began at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, James took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the news with fans.
“Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on! Hate to miss an historical event!” James wrote.
Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on! Hate to miss an historical event! My beautiful powerful Queen will be there holding the…
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 5, 2025
The four-time NBA champion, who suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain to his left knee during the Lakers’ final playoff game on April 30, expressed disappointment over the decision but said his wife, Savannah James, would still attend in his place.
“She’s holding the castle down as she always has done,” James said of Savannah, whom he referred to as a “beautiful powerful Queen.”
LeBron’s Injury and NBA Future
The Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Denver Nuggets. It was during that final matchup that James sustained the knee injury now keeping him off the iconic Met Gala steps.
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Following the game, James told reporters he would need time to assess his basketball future, hinting that retirement remains a topic of conversation within his family and close support circle.
“Retirement is something I’ll have to think long and hard about,” James said in a postgame press conference. “It’s a family decision.”
Met Gala 2025: Spotlight on Black Style
The 2025 Met Gala theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” celebrates Black fashion and dandyism, drawing inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.”
Andrew Bolton, the Met’s Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, said the exhibit examines the evolution of Black style from the 18th century to today, placing emphasis on menswear, tailoring, and cultural identity.
This year’s dress code, “Tailored for You,” invites attendees to embrace sharp suiting and personalized fashion, aligning with the gala’s focus on Black excellence and craftsmanship.
Honorary chairs for the evening include actor Colman Domingo, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, music icons A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams, and longtime Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
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The star-studded host committee also includes gymnast Simone Biles and her husband Jonathan Owens, rapper Doechii, actress Regina King, director Spike Lee, basketball star Angel Reese and singer Usher.
A Milestone Spring for LeBron
Despite missing out on fashion’s biggest night, James has continued to make headlines off the court. In April, Mattel named him the company’s first-ever “Kenbassador,” debuting a custom LeBron James Ken doll.
The collectible — designed in collaboration with the LeBron James Family Foundation — features the doll in a varsity jacket, Beats headphones, Nike sneakers, and his foundation’s “We Are Family” T-shirt. It marks the first time a professional athlete has been featured as a Ken doll.
“As a young kid, I was fortunate to have role models who not only inspired me but also showed me what’s possible through hard work and dedication,” James said in a statement. “Now, as an adult, I understand how vital it is for young people to have positive figures to look up to.”
He added that partnering with Barbie to create the Kenbassador doll was an opportunity to promote confidence and ambition in youth.
Family, Fashion, and the Future
LeBron and Savannah James have long been admired for their presence at high-profile events. Though this would have been LeBron’s first time attending the Met Gala, his influence in the fashion world is well established. Since debuting his first Nike Air Zoom Generation sneakers in 2003, James has released more than 20 signature models, many of which have become collector’s items.
The NBA legend also recently opened up about sharing the court with his son, Bronny James, who currently plays collegiate basketball. Appearing on the New Heights podcast hosted by NFL brothers Jason and Travis Kelce in January, James called playing alongside Bronny his “greatest accomplishment.”
“To work with your son — I’ve heard it from a lot of people not only in sports but also in business and other walks of life — and they say it’s the greatest thing you could ever have,” he said.
Though LeBron will miss tonight’s red carpet, his legacy in both fashion and sports continues to evolve, with Savannah James poised to represent the family in stunning style at the 2025 Met Gala.
