Basketball icon LeBron James has praised United States striker Folarin Balogun after the forward copied his famous “Silencer” celebration during America’s World Cup victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Balogun found the net twice in the 2 nil win, although one of the efforts was later ruled out for offside. On both occasions, the 24 year old broke into LeBron’s trademark celebration, a moment that quickly caught the attention of the NBA legend.
Reacting on X, James celebrated the striker’s moment in style, declaring that the “Silencer” had arrived at the World Cup. He also hailed Balogun’s strike, describing it as a brilliant goal and referring to him as a young king.
The post quickly gained traction online, pulling in nearly four million views as fans of both football and basketball reacted to the crossover moment.
LeBron, who remains the NBA’s all time leading scorer, is well known for using the “Silencer” celebration after big moments on the court, especially after draining crucial shots in tense games.
The move involves lifting the knees, pressing both palms downward and then tapping the chest, a gesture often used to signal that an opponent or crowd has been quietened.
Balogun’s use of the celebration comes as no surprise to those familiar with his love for basketball. The striker, who was born in New York, raised in London and now plays his club football in France, has long been known as a fan of the sport.
When United States football officials were trying to convince him to commit his international future to the American team instead of England or Nigeria, they reportedly flew him to Florida and gave him courtside NBA tickets as part of their pitch.
Balogun has now scored three goals at the 2026 World Cup as the United States booked their place in the Round of 16. However, he will miss the team’s clash against Belgium on Monday after being sent off in the second half of the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
James, who is now 41, also made headlines this week after announcing that he would leave the Los Angeles Lakers but continue his career elsewhere for a record 24th NBA season.
