LeBron Flops One Time Too Many, Provoking Deathless Response From Iraq Combat Vet

After Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James — who has a long-standing history of flopping on the floor to draw unwarranted fouls from the opposition — flopped one time too many in Wednesday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as a Minnesota combat veteran and former state representative who had both of his legs blown off in Iraq offered a deathless response on X.

“I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off,” John Kriesel, who now serves as director of veteran services for Anoka County, reacted. Kriesel was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal after serving in Iraq; in 2006, he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that blew up. He is also the author of the autobiography Still Standing.

I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off. https://t.co/2gWk1EtRzH

— John Kriesel (@johnkriesel) May 1, 2025

The Timberwolves won the game 103-96, eliminating the Lakers from the playoffs.

There were multiple hilarious responses to Kriesel’s post, including:

A player for the Dallas Stars hockey team died on the bench (flatlined for 2 minutes), was resuscitated in the hallway, and asked to go back into the game.https://t.co/XfSdKgHlo3

— Slim Tidings (@drfeedbacker) May 2, 2025

Falls can be deadly for elderly men like LeBron. He could break a hip, be hospitalized and contract staphylococcal infection.

— Greg Brown (@the_Greglodon) May 2, 2025

He is a DIVA –his name should never be in the same sentence as MJ, Bird or Barkley –seriously pic.twitter.com/xBKPVbkSEo

— AJH (@UnamedLocation) May 1, 2025

“Poor LeBron, all 6’9, 250 pounds of him, ran into Minnesota’s Donte Divincenzo, 6’4, 203 pounds, during Wednesday’s Lakers playoff exit and…couldn’t get up.”

“Divincenzo, 47 pounds lighter, had no such problem,” Outkick mocked. “LeBron was on the ground for more than 20 seconds. Men have been hit by prime Mike Tyson and stayed on the canvas for less time than LeBron sprawled himself out on the hardwood.”

Earlier in the series, James got caught after a flop, taking a surreptitious look, apparently to see if the refs had called a foul.

LeBron think he slick ????
(h/t bonbaguy23/TT) pic.twitter.com/10OAMCcEJS

— Overtime (@overtime) April 23, 2025

“James was hit in the face by Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, 30, in the fourth quarter of Game 2 in Los Angeles’ first-round playoff series, and stayed on the floor for several minutes as referees discussed the call,” People Magazine reported.

In a loss to the Boston Celtics during the regular season, James flopped again. Sports Illustrated wrote that he “may have added a lamentable lowlight to his highlight reel with a brutal flop late in the game.”

Don’t ever compare this man to Jordan again pic.twitter.com/Il9ccLztkt

— Samantha (@SN1onX) March 9, 2025

There have even been videos featuring James’ legendary flopping habits:

@instabucketz

1 minute of LeBron James flopping ???? Le???? #instabucketz #basketball #basketball

♬ original sound – Instabucketz