Fact Check: Did LeBron James really say he had a 'weird feeling' Diddy would be arrested?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: There’s some random gossip circulating on social media involving none other than NBA superstar LeBron James and disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.

The rumor? LeBron allegedly predicted the day Diddy would get arrested on some pretty serious charges. Now, we all know that the internet loves a good scandal, but how much of this one is actually true? Spoiler alert: not much.

It all started when a post went viral on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, September 16. The account NBACentel shared a jaw-dropping claim, saying that LeBron James had some kind of weird premonition about Diddy's arrest.

The post quoted LeBron as saying, "It's crazy, I was listening to 'Mo Money Mo Problems' earlier today in the car and had a weird feeling that today was the day the feds would catch Diddy."

The post quickly blew up, racking up 7 million views in no time. Naturally, fans and followers went wild, speculating whether LeBron had some inside information or was just unusually intuitive. But is there any truth to this claim?

LeBron James’ alleged comment on Diddy’s arrest debunked as hoax

Let's set the record straight—the aforementioned claim is completely false. After some investigation, it’s clear there is no evidence that LeBron James ever made such a comment.

No credible news outlets reported it, and a quick Google search comes up empty on any real sources attributing this quote to the Los Angeles Lakers star.

NBACentel — the account that started it all — cited another X account as the source of the quote: Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, a well-known sports writer. However, when fans checked Scoop B’s account, there was no such post to be found.

In fact, sports media outlet EssentiallySports quickly debunked the rumor, confirming that LeBron never made the statement. They also pointed out that NBACentel is an "NBA parody account," meaning the whole thing was nothing more than a hoax.

According to EssentiallySports, "As it turns out, it’s all a giant hoax and LeBron has made no such comments about the arrest."

So, the viral post can be attributed to a frivolous attempt to stir up drama and capitalize on the news cycle surrounding Diddy's arrest. Speaking of which, let’s take a moment to discuss that arrest.

Federal authorities charge Diddy with serious crimes following months-long investigation

While the LeBron quote was a total fabrication, Diddy’s arrest is 100% real. On Tuesday, September 17, federal authorities arrested the music mogul in New York City on some serious charges.

The indictment involves an alleged racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution—charges that could potentially land him in prison for a long time.

This wasn’t a sudden, out-of-nowhere arrest, though. The feds had been investigating Diddy for months, with raids taking place at his Miami and Los Angeles homes back in March 2024.

During those raids, agents found electronic devices containing images and videos of sexual encounters.

This discovery — according to unsealed court documents obtained by The Washington Post — led to an ongoing investigation by the Southern District of New York, which eventually culminated in Diddy’s arrest.

It’s a major legal predicament for Diddy, and currently, a New York judge has denied his bail request. However, Diddy’s legal team is reportedly appealing the decision in an effort to secure his release on bail.

LeBron James and Diddy: Friends or foes?

The rumor that LeBron James is predicting Diddy’s arrest may have gained traction due to the somewhat strained relationship between the two in recent months. In May, LeBron reportedly unfollowed Diddy on Instagram, which was seen as a significant red flag.

Fans took notice and some speculated that there might be a feud between the NBA star and the hip-hop icon.

Why the unfollow? It happened right around the time some leaked videos hit the internet showing Diddy allegedly assaulting his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura. The backlash against Diddy was strong and many wondered if LeBron decided to distance himself from the drama by hitting that "unfollow" button.

But does this mean LeBron had some insider knowledge about Diddy’s legal issues? Probably not. According to the fact-checking website Snopes, there’s no concrete evidence to suggest that LeBron knew anything about Diddy’s federal investigation before it became public.

In other words, the unfollow was likely just a coincidence—or maybe LeBron was simply trying to avoid associating with controversy.

That said, the claim that LeBron had a "weird feeling" about Diddy’s arrest is nothing more than a viral hoax. The quote originated from a parody account on X, and no reputable sources support it. While Diddy’s arrest is indeed real and continues to make headlines, LeBron had no involvement in predicting it.