A regular-season NBA game in Washington on Friday night produced a crossover moment between two of North America’s greatest sports stars.
Before tip-off between the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers, Lakers forward LeBron James approached NHL legend Alex Ovechkin, captain of the Washington Capitals, who was attending the game with his sons. The two superstars exchanged a handshake courtside, a moment that quickly drew attention from fans of both basketball and hockey.
The meeting symbolically brought together the leading scorers in the histories of the NBA and NHL, underlining the broader sporting significance of the night beyond basketball alone. Such cross-sport appearances are common in US arenas, but encounters between figures of this stature remain rare.
On the court, the contest itself was one-sided. The Los Angeles Lakers overwhelmed the Washington Wizards with a convincing 142–111 victory, asserting control early and never allowing the hosts back into the game.
