A LeBron James mural was vandalized in Venice, California, just hours after it was finished after a Twitter user put a viral hit contract out on the artwork, KCBS-TV reported.
James, who has led the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers to NBA titles, recently signed a $154 million contract to play for the Los Angeles Lakers this upcoming season, the television station reported.
But when a mural of James in a Lakers uniform was put up at Baby Blues BBQ in Venice, a Twitter user with the handle @BenOsaze and the name Lakers Fanbase called for someone to deface it Friday, according to KCBS-TV.
"I'm offering $300 to anyone who destroys this mural and shares a video," said the tweet, which has since been deleted, according to KCBS-TV. "The mural is located at Baby Blues BBQ – 444 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291 #Lakers #Kobe #LeBron."
The restaurant's security camera caught at least one person defacing the mural, writing "We don't want you," "LeFraud," "No King," and "3-6," on the mural, KCBS-TV wrote. Baby Blues manager Rob Aguirre said that 3-6 is James' series record in the NBA Finals.
One of the artists who created the mural, Jonas Never, said he was puzzled by the reaction to the mural from someone who is said to be a Lakers fan about acquiring James, TMZ reported.
"I'd ask him, seriously, if they were a Laker fan, I don't get how a Laker fan could be mad about getting the best player in the game right now," Never told TMZ.
Never told the gossip website that it took him 20 minutes to get the mural pristine again.
In the meantime, Lakers fans on social media rallied around the mural and James.
The Twitter account of @BenOsaze could not be found Tuesday.