Wayne Rooney may be a footballing icon in England, but even global fame has its blind spots, especially in a dimly lit Las Vegas bar packed with NBA royalty.
In a recent episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, the Manchester United legend recounted a humorous and humbling moment from his 2008 honeymoon with wife Coleen. The couple had found themselves in a bar when the entire U.S. Olympic basketball team walked in, among them, legends like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
“Me and Coleen were in Las Vegas for our honeymoon,” Rooney said. “The U.S. Olympic basketball team came into this bar where we was. It was all cornered off. They were all there… Kobe Bryant, LeBron, all these massive superstars.”
Rooney, who had previously met LeBron at a Nike event in Portland, decided to approach the table to say hello. But before he could get close, a security guard intervened.
“I went over because I’d seen LeBron. Because I’d spoken to him a few times, I went over to say, ‘Hello.’ But the security went, ‘Please step away from the table, sir.’ So I was like, ‘It’s OK.’”
Rather than push back, Rooney retreated to the restroom. But fate had other plans. Upon returning, LeBron spotted him and immediately called him over.
“I came back and he sees me and shouts me over,” Rooney recalled. “So we went over and chatted and I took pictures with a few of the players.”
In a recent episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, the Manchester United legend recounted a humorous and humbling moment from his 2008 honeymoon with wife Coleen. The couple had found themselves in a bar when the entire Team USA walked in, among them, legends like Kobe and LeBron. pic.twitter.com/WsstHApe2j
— OpenCourt-Basketball (@OpenCourtFB) August 23, 2025
The story is a charming reminder that celebrity status isn’t always universal. Rooney, standing at 5’9″, didn’t exactly tower over the crowd like the 6’8″ LeBron. And in a country where soccer still trails behind basketball in mainstream popularity, even one of England’s most recognizable athletes can be mistaken for a fan.
