LeBron James’ Lawsuit Takes Bizarre Twist as Lakers Star Now Suing Photographer for $1 Million

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. Being great means facing a lot of lawsuits. This time the awesome LeBron is facing another lawsuit.

Longtime photographer Steven Mitchell filed a lawsuit against the four-time NBA champion for $150,000 or the money made of one of his posts. LeBron posted a photo that Mitchell took of him hitting a dunk in a game against the Miami Heat on December 13, 2019.

LeBron shared the photo from the game as a cropped version on Facebook. There wasn’t any accreditation to Mitchell. According to this lawsuit, LeBron didn’t ask for a permission to post the photo or use it for personal uses. NBA fans came across the photo and pretty much everyone liked and shared it. Several months later, LeBron decided to respond to the lawsuit.

In the last few weeks, LeBron was working with his legal team. Now he is suing Mitchell for $1 million and attorney fees. LeBron’s court filings contest that he can post the photos as long as he is not exploiting the photos for profit.

Did LeBron James commit copyright infringement by posting on his Facebook page a professional photographer's photo of him dunking? That question is at issue in a new federal lawsuit against James. Details in a @SInow and @TheCrossover legal story: https://t.co/SwwgRfHNGe pic.twitter.com/0STpTDLbKO

— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) March 23, 2020

LeBron is the primary fixature of the photo, but some say that he doesn’t have the right to control “the reproduction of his photos, such as their publication on social media websites.”

LeBron James' dispute with a photographer has led to the Lakers star filing a countersuit asking for at least $1 million and attorney fees | @KaplanSportsBiz ⤵️https://t.co/Dn0rg6WVtL

— The Athletic L.A. (@TheAthleticLA) December 23, 2020

LeBron strikes back with a lawsuit

King James decided to file a lawsuit because Mitchell used the photos on his website to promote his own services. Will both sides reach an agreement? LeBron’s statement through his counsel Howard Shire suggests that he attempted to settle for some amount of money. Shire said that LeBron doesn’t intent to get the money and tries to resolve the problem “amicably.”

King James definitely wants to solve the situation out of court. Both sides may reach a settlement and avoid the lawsuit from going any further. Mitchell’s attorney, Kevin McColluch claims that LeBron attempted to “harass” and “threaten to bankrupt a courtside photographer.”

LeBron’s legal team is willing to work with the situation. Let’s just say that $1 million is just too much. How will the king of basketball fix the solution?