LeBron James’ iconic meme recreated by Cavaliers forward

Victor GalvezThu, Jul 9, 2026·2 min read

Max Strus garnered attention on Wednesday for recreating an iconic Instagram story of LeBron James. The four-time NBA champion posted it in August 2018 and since become a meme.

Strus played golf and posed like James, complete with the same caption “Smiling through it all! Can’t believe this is my life.” It added more fuel to fans’ speculation that the former Los Angeles Lakers forward will sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. James’ hometown team is reportedly one of the frontrunners to land him this offseason.

AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

MORE: Austin Reaves admits LeBron James ‘ruined’ his day after Lakers exit

The image was posted by ESPN Cleveland on X and fans dropped their reactions in the comments section.

“Aye Bron just need to announce this by this week man,” one fan said.

“Max just told us Bron is back,” a reaction read.

“What if this a clue. All three of them could have been together?” one user wrote.

“Max knows what’s up,” posted another.

“Max knows something we all don’t know yet,” a comment read.

“This is kind of wild,” another fan commented.

Cavaliers’ potential lineup with LeBron James

If James chooses to return to Cleveland, he’ll join a formidable roster. The Cavaliers feature Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The 22-time All-Star could slide in as the starting small forward, giving the team one of the best starting units in the NBA.

AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

The bench also boasts talent, including Strus, who can play at the two and three spots. Meanwhile, Dennis Schroder, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill and Thomas Bryant can all provide quality minutes. It remains to be seen if James will sign with the Cavaliers. However, it’s not hard to imagine him finishing his career with the team that drafted him.