LeBron James continues to redefine what it means to be a cultural icon—this time, not with a slam dunk, but with a doll. The Los Angeles Lakers star just made history by becoming the first professional athlete ever to have his likeness turned into an official Ken doll.
Mattel unveiled the figure on Wednesday as part of their new “Kenbassador” series, celebrating influential men across different fields. Naturally, the reactions rolled in quickly—including some hilarious ones from NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce.
On the Thursday episode of their New Heights podcast, the Kelce brothers took a look at the doll for the first time, and let’s just say—they didn’t hold back.
Jason admitted he hadn’t seen the doll before the reveal and had to look it up. His reaction?
“To me, it’s a little bit too likeness-like,” he joked. Travis chimed in with a laugh:
“Bron has never looked so stiff in his life. That’s the Ken version of LeBron!”
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Jason did say he wished the doll had looked “a little more Barbiefied,” but still thought it was cool enough to buy for his daughter, Wyatt. He even floated the idea of Travis getting his own Ken doll someday. Travis, being humble, shot the idea down, saying, “Nobody would want that.”
LeBron, clearly in on the fun, reposted the Kelce brothers’ reactions on his Instagram Stories with a laugh of his own.
Lebron James’ react to his Ken doll for the first time
LeBron James have been synonymous to greatness and advocacy not only as an athlete, but also a human being off the court. Before the end of the 2024-25 NBA regular season, James was given his own Ken doll, and the four-time NBA champion couldn’t contain his happiness and excitement.
When LeBron finally got to see his mini-me in person, he was all smiles.
“Oh, he dope. That’s so cool,” James said. “This is so dang old cool.”
Barbie is launching a LeBron James Doll, making the famous basketball player the first “Kenbassador” for the brand. pic.twitter.com/DlDTatuB4Z
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) April 9, 2025
He reflected on his journey from Akron, Ohio, to global stardom, saying:
“Just a kid from Akron with his big headphones. Now we official.”
While LeBron loved the overall look, he had one minor critique.
“Might need a little more leg day,” he joked, pointing out the skinny legs. Still, the King gave it his stamp of approval—and fans everywhere are loving the crossover of hoops and pop culture.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
