LeBron James’ Ex-Teammate Gets Booed Over ‘LeBronto’ Remark During Kyle Lowry’s Special Day

For years, frustrated Raptors fans reluctantly embraced the nickname "LeBronto." A bitter joke born from LeBron James eliminating Toronto from the playoffs in three straight postseasons between 2016 and 2018. It was a wound the franchise only healed by winning its first championship the year after James left for the Lakers.

Kevin Love, James' former Cleveland teammate, decided to revive the joke himself. This time at Kyle Lowry's own retirement celebration.

Love was on stage as a featured guest at "Kyle's Block Party", the official retirement celebration for longtime Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, when he decided to poke fun at the city's playoff history.

"I know this is Kyle's day, but isn't this LeBronto?" Love said. He referenced the years his Cavaliers teams spent eliminating the Raptors from the postseason.

The Toronto crowd didn't find it nearly as funny as Love did. They booed him as soon as the remark landed. Rather than back down, Love enjoyed the moment and called out the fans for their reaction, turning what was meant to be a lighthearted jab into a genuine back-and-forth with the crowd at an event meant to honor Lowry.

Love and the Cavaliers eliminated the Raptors in the playoffs in 2016, 2017 and 2018. James played a central role in each series, including the iconic buzzer-beater that closed out Toronto in the 2018 second round.

Lowry never got past James in the postseason during that stretch. It wasn't until after James left Cleveland for the Lakers that the Raptors finally broke through, winning the franchise's first championship in 2019 behind Kawhi Leonard.

Love and James shared four seasons together in Cleveland from 2014 to 2018. They won the 2016 championship and have continued their playful rapport well after their time as teammates ended, regularly trolling each other and other players across the league.

That friendship wasn't always so easy, though. Love admitted he struggled to accept a diminished role after arriving in Cleveland, and moments during their Finals runs together occasionally hinted at tension between the two.

Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show in 2025, Love credited James with helping him grow past those early struggles. He said that he didn't understand what it meant to sacrifice for a team before their years together forced him to learn.

Between the boos in Toronto and the years of playful trolling that followed his time with James, Love's "LeBronto" comment fits neatly into a career that's increasingly defined by his willingness to poke fun at old rivalries, even when the audience doesn't agree with the joke.