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Ever since Elon Musk has bought and taken over Twitter, things have changed here and there.
Twitter’s newest implementation ist Twitter Blue – a new subscription-based service that provides exclusive features for users who subscribe, such as the ability to undo tweets, customize app icons, access to exclusive content, and the blue checkmark next to the user name, that had previously been used to authenticate popular users, companies and members of the media.
With Twitter Blue, all others who were verified before list their blue checkmark, leading to some major criticism. But even though most notable athletes also lost their blue checkmarks, there was one NBA player whose still had a verified account: LeBron James. Last month, LeBron tweeted that he won’t be paying anything to keep the checkmark, but since he still has the blue, fans were wondering if he changed his mind.
Did Bron change his mind? 😂
(h/t @OldTakesExposed) pic.twitter.com/RNBEsvXp87
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2023
Well, turns out that Elon Musk himself is paying for LeBron James’ Twitter Blue. Musk admitted he is paying for some prominent Twitter accounts to retain their blue ticks, that, aside from LeBron, include Stephen King and William Shatner.
I’m paying for a few personally
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2023
LeBron and Stephen King still having checks makes me think they didn’t pay and that Elon specifically preserved theirs because they publicly embarrassed him.
— Barry Petchesky (@barry) April 20, 2023
NEW: Have confirmed that LeBron, who has 52 million followers and has said he won’t pay for verification, was emailed by a Twitter employee with the offer to have his sub comped “on behalf of Elon Musk.”
James did not accept but his account is showing that he paid anyway.
— Alex Heath (@alexeheath) April 20, 2023
