LeBron James Milks Applause That's Actually For Another Olympian In Building

The King got humbled, it seems.

LeBron James reveled in a standing ovation during the U.S. basketball team’s rout of Brazil at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. He waved and gave his crowning gesture to acknowledge the appreciation.

But the ovation apparently wasn’t for James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. It was for a man who is perhaps a bigger star in the host country for the moment: four-time gold medalist swimmer Leon Marchand of France. (Watch the clip here.)

The TV announcers figured it out.

“That’s love,” one of them said.

The camera cut to the curly-haired Marchand talking with two companions as the broadcasters summed up his impact on the Paris Games.

Several outlets jumped on the awkwardness.

However, James’ assumption that the adoration was for him might have been inspired by the Laker great’s appearance on the jumbotron at the same time, Larry Brown Sports reported.

Hey, even The King can endure a little embarrassment.