NBA superstar, LeBron James, said on Wednesday he was taking an indefinite hiatus from social media after sharing a post which railed against “negative” coverage in US media.

James, who has some 212 million combined followers on his Instagram and X accounts, announced his break from social media after sharing a post by Rich Kleiman, the long-time agent of NBA star Kevin Durant.

“With so much hate and negativity in the world today, it confuses me why some of the national sports media still think that the best way to cover sports is through negative takes,” Kleiman wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“I for one find it all a waste of breath.”
Los Angeles Lakers ace James shared the post to his followers with a one word comment: “AMEN!!”

The 39-year-old then followed up that post to confirm he was leaving social media — for now.
“And with that said, I’ll holla at y’all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y’all take care,” James wrote on X.

It is not the first time James has stepped away from social media. The all-time record points scorer has taken breaks before, but usually to concentrate on his basketball.

James had hinted at disaffection with online criticism following the Lakers’ win over Utah on Tuesday, when Los Angeles rookie Dalton Knecht erupted for 37 points.

Talking about Knecht’s performance, James said he had been aware of the rookie’s talent from watching his collegiate career at Tennessee.

“Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time,” James said.

“They say I lie about everything. So what am I now? I’ve been said it. I watched him. I watched Tennessee a lot.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly agreed to a new one-year contract extension, with an option for a further year until 2027.

The deal, expected to be announced in the coming days, would secure Guardiola’s tenure at the club beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of this season.

The 53-year-old Spaniard, who joined City in 2016, has already cemented his legacy at the club.

Under his leadership, City has secured 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League triumph.

If finalized, the new deal would see Guardiola surpass a decade in charge, making him one of the longest-serving managers in the club’s history.

The announcement comes amidst a period of uncertainty and challenges for Manchester City.

Speculation about Guardiola’s future had intensified following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain, a close associate of Guardiola, would leave at the end of the season.

On the pitch, the reigning champions are navigating a difficult stretch, having suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions—the worst run of Guardiola’s managerial career.

Injuries and off-field issues, including 115 charges related to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, have added to the turbulence.

Securing Guardiola’s extension is expected to provide stability during a critical period.

It would prevent potential disruption in the summer, especially with the Club World Cup on the horizon. Guardiola’s decision also comes at a pivotal juncture in City’s season as they aim to bounce back from recent setbacks.

Guardiola, who succeeded Manuel Pellegrini at City, has previously enjoyed successful stints at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Italian Serie A club Genoa FC has announced the appointment of former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira as its new head coach.

The club made this announcement in a statement published on its website on Wednesday, titled “Press Release – Vieira Appointed New Head Coach.”

The statement read, “Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the head coach of the first team. The new coach will oversee his first training session this afternoon, following the formalisation of his contract at the Villa Rostan Headquarters.”

Vieira, a former French defensive midfielder, was a key member of Arsenal’s historic ‘Invincibles’ squad that clinched the club’s third English Premier League title. He played alongside French teammates Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, among others. Vieira also lifted the FIFA World Cup in 1998 with France.

The statement continued, “With a professional journey that included a role as Executive Development Football at Manchester City’s Academy from 2011 to 2015, Vieira has also managed teams such as New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace, and Strasbourg. Welcome, coach!”

The announcement comes following Genoa’s dismissal of former head coach Alberto Gilardino, 42, after a disappointing start to the Serie A season.

“Genoa CFC announces that Alberto Gilardino has been relieved of his duties,” the club confirmed on Tuesday.

Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, took charge of Genoa in December 2022 after managing their Under-19 team. He led the club to direct promotion to Serie A in 2023 and achieved an 11th-place finish last season.

However, the club currently sits in 17th place in Serie A, just one point above the relegation zone, with only two wins in 12 matches.