"He said that LeBron was not really crying": Royce Reed claims Dwight Howard told her LeBron James didn't genuinely grieve Kobe Bryant's passing

When LeBron James and the rest of the NBA world heard the tragic news about Kobe Bryant's death on January 26th, 2020, everything screeched to a halt. Bryant is a beloved figure in the basketball space all around the world, remembered as one of the best players and winners of all time.

However, according to dancer Royce Reed, James didn't feel the loss the same way as everyone else.

Royce Reed is an American dancer and TV personality with a career performing around the NBA, connecting her with players through her business. She was in a relationship with Dwight Howard, a journeyman who played in the league for 18 years. The two met back in 2004, before Howard began his NBA career and ended things 2007, then went through legal disputes over their son.

On Friday's episode of former NFL MVP turned media personality Cam Newton's show Funky Friday, Reed told Newton that according to Howard, LeBron James didn't fully grieve the death of Bryant when he heard about it.

"He said that LeBron was not really crying or sad about Kobe passing," said Reed about the reaction to Bryant's death. "He said on the plane he had no emotion and he was like, he was just chilling."

LeBron James and Dwight Howard were teammates on the LA Lakers that season, where they would go on to win the 2020 championship in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida after the NBA took a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. James was one of the leading voices not only on the team but in the NBA as the league mourned Kobe's death.

How do these accusations affect LeBron James' image to NBA fans?

LeBron James has always been a polarizing player in the NBA since he entered the league in 2003. From his decision to join the Miami Heat back in 2012 to his triumphant return to Cleveland in 2014, James has a countless number of admirers and haters throughout the basketball world.

One of the claims made against LeBron by critics is that he plays to the cameras that follow him around, embellishing things in order to make himself look better. This remark by Reed plays into that, leading fans to further believe that James faked emotions for the camera.

James has made no response to these claims, but is a longtime friend of Kobe Bryant and his family, always speaking highly of him.