NBA superstar LeBron James posted a popular Spider-Man meme Friday on Instagram, implying that the common cold, the flu and COVID-19 are essentially the same.
The post depicts three nearly identical Spider-Man superheroes. They are primarily differentiated by one being labeled “covid,” another as “cold,” and the last as “flu.” They are all pointing at one another implying the other Spider-Man is an imposter.
This particular type of meme with Spider-Man is used to demonstrate the absurdity of claims that things that are substantially the same are meaningfully distinct.
The mainstream press has responded with cautious criticism, with Sports Illustrated reporting that some think LeBron is guilty of downplaying COVID-19. One writer for NBC Sports, after noting the minute differences in the respective Spider-Man suits, said that the NBA should consider letting positive-testing, but asymptomatic vaccinated players play.
Clay Travis of Outkick believes that the Christmas Eve post from the Los Angeles Lakers forward means that he is in agreement with him regarding COVID-19 and how certain individuals and institutions have reacted illogically to it.
Other NBA players haven’t exactly disavowed LeBron, with Trae Young, Marcus Morris, Spencer Dinwiddie, PJ Tucker and Miles Bridges among those appearing to post in support of the King, according to ClutchPoints.
LeBron has expressed frustration with the NBA’s COVID-19 testing, which resulted in a false positive in November that forced him to miss a game.
