NBA legend LeBron James was receiving applause from the crowd in France – only to discover it wasn’t for him.
The Team USA superstar was caught on NBC cameras greeting boisterous spectators at Bercy Arena.
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LeBron sat on the bench as the U.S. men’s basketball team cruised to a blowout victory over Brazil on Tuesday.
James was elbowed in the face during the competition and disappeared into the locker room to get stitches.
He returned to the bench late in the fourth quarter, with the crowd cheering as he sat down.
LeBron seemed to believe the ovation was for him, pretending to place a crown on his head in his signature King James gesture.
But unbeknownst to the 20-time NBA All-Star, French fans were crazy about another athlete.
French swimming sensation Leon Marchand rose from his seat during a break in play, eliciting deafening roars.
Marchand won four gold medals and one silver in the pool, becoming an overnight sensation.
LeBron was quickly mocked on social media for his “embarrassing” mistake.
“Muscle memory at this point, understandable confusion,” commented one X fan in response to the footage.
“Bro really thinks he’s the main character all the time,” joked another.
“I was rooting for you, king,” laughed a third.
“This is totally embarrassing. He will be ridiculed for this in the locker room,” added a fourth.
James appeared on the arena’s jumbotron during the incident, helping with their confusion, for Larry Brown Sports.
Team USA is currently seeking its fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in basketball.
LeBron dropped 12 points, nine assists, three rebounds and three steals in the 122-87 victory.
He received stitches after a confrontation with Brazilian point guard Georginho De Paula in the third quarter.
Another NBA star, Kevin Durant, achieved a huge career milestone during the competition.
The Phoenix Suns forward recorded 11 points off the bench, becoming USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer at the Olympics.
Team USA will face Serbia for a place in the final on Thursday.
Meanwhile, France will face Germany in the other semi-final, in a rematch of the group game.
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