Why does LeBron James still have the blue check on twitter despite having said he wouldn’t pay?

King James on Twitter or LeBron James on the court made one thing clear earlier this year: he would not be purchasing Twitter Blue.

Twitter Blue is Elon Musk’s latest attempt to increase revenue at the social media site by charging $8.99 to users who want a premium experience; one of the perks is that a blue checkmark will appear next to their name.

Today, all legacy checkmarks for notable people have been removed, and if those users want them back, they will need to make the monthly payment just like everyone else. This could make it easier for impersonators to take on the identity of those who lost their legacy checkmarks.

King James keeps his check

LeBron James is one of many famous Twitter users that said he would not pay for the checkmark. But as the legacy checks were removed, King James managed to keep his. Alex Heath, a writer for The Verge, has reported that Twitter reached out to James to see if he would be okay with the company paying for his check—James decline.

When people began to ask why the basketball star still had his blue check, Musk tweeted that he was paying for it personally. Not only is he paying for James’ blue check, but a handful of other celebrities said they would not pay.

Alex Heath, a writer for The Verge, reported that Twitter had reached out to James to see if he would be okay with the company paying on his behalf. James declined.

Who else has Elon Musk purchased Twitter Blue for?

Author Stephen King who has also been critical of Musk, received a reply from the CEO that his check was also being paid for. King clarified that he had not made the purchase, to which Musk responded, “You’re welcome namaste.”

No other names have been released yet, but if those individuals do announce that they have not paid yet have a blue check, Musk may continue to confirm their identities.