MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – FEBRUARY 28: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on February 28, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Ex-UFC fighter Chael Sonnen is making some shocking claims this week. He is saying that LeBron James uses EPO to improve his endurance and play all game long. Sonnen also claims LeBron and him have the same “drug guy.”
Sonnen has been busted before for using PEDs while he was in the UFC.
“Other basketball players will hear about what LeBron does and go, ‘That doesn’t matter.’ If you knew what these performance enhancers did, you’d know it does matter,” Sonnen said in a recent episode of the Flagrant podcast.
“We have the same drug guy, I know exactly what he’s doing,” Sonnen declared. “EPO [Erythropoietin] matters, it’s the reason LeBron takes it. It matters. EPO increases your red blood cells, which gives you the endurance to play all game long. It’s the king of performance enhancers. EPO is king to everything. That’s why cyclists do it.”
Chael Sonnen claims Lebron James takes PEDs. “We have the same drug guy, I know exactly what he takes”.
( via Flagrant 2 podcast) pic.twitter.com/EDnCHatxhX
— Jo (@MavsStan41) March 8, 2023
Chael Sonnen claims Lebron James takes PEDs. “We have the same drug guy, I know exactly what he takes”.
( via Flagrant 2 podcast) pic.twitter.com/EDnCHatxhX
— Jo (@MavsStan41) March 8, 2023
EPO is a hormone naturally produced by human kidneys to stimulate red blood cell production, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“You can shoot in the fourth quarter just like you shot in the fourth minute. It’s the king of performance enhancers. EPO is king to everything.”
It’s worth noting that such statements from Sonnen should be taken with a grain of salt, as he is not always truthful about the statements that he makes.
Last month, he called out Jon Jones for using PEDs during their UFC 159 fight in 2013.
“I had more juice than Tropicana and he pushed me around like a Mack truck versus a Volvo. As soon as we locked up with each other, as he’s pushing me backward before he comes with his big spinning elbow, I remember thinking, ‘I know your secret because I got the same one.”
LeBron James is currently playing in his 20th NBA season and averages 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 47 games.
Last month, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
