LeBron James upset NBA fans on Thursday when he congratulated a convicted drug trafficker on being freed from prison.
Demetrius ‘Big Meech’ Flenory, who co-founded the notorious drug trafficking organization Black Mafia Family (BMF), was transferred this week to a residential reentry program in Miami, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
And after that news broke, Lakers star James took to social media to write ‘Welcome home Big Meech!!’ with a salute emoji.
Given Flenory’s criminal record – he was originally sentenced to 30 years in prison following a 2008 conviction for drug trafficking and money laundering – many fans slammed James’ post.
‘Glorifying the wrong people,’ one wrote.
LeBron James was slammed for welcoming a convicted drug trafficker home from prison
Demetrius Flenory was sentenced to 30 years in prison for building a criminal enterprise
‘Lebron supporting drug dealers?!?!?!?! Not my goat,’ another added.
‘Youre so desperate to seem cool its pathethic,’ another wrote.
A fourth made reference to James’ myriad endorsement deals, saying, ‘Easy, Bron. You got sponsors.’
Flenory had founded BMF, in 1985 as a creative agency and music label with his brother, Terry Lee, also known as ‘Southwest Tee,’ and the pair was embraced by hip hop culture.
However, federal agents determined in 2000 that the company was a front for a nationwide cocaine trafficking and money laundering scheme, in which the brothers raked in more than $270million.
The DEA later carried out a large-scale raid in 2005, arresting 30 members of the operation.
The Flenory brothers ultimately pleaded guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise ‘involving the large-scale distribution of cocaine throughout the United States from 1990 through 2005,’ according to court documents.
He had founded Big Mafia Family, aka BMF, in 1985 as a creative agency and hip hop label with his brother, Terry Lee, also known as ‘Southwest Tee.’
His son, Demetrius Flenory Jr, later went on to play him in the Starz TV series ‘BMF’
The siblings’ story was later brought to TV on Starz by rapper 50 Cent, in an eight-episode series ‘BMF’ in 2021. The series, which has aired two more seasons, delves into the 1980s backstory of the brothers as they emerged from inner-city Detroit to become wealthy drug kingpins embraced by hip-hop culture.
Brittany K. Barnett, who represented Flenory, says he ‘used his time in prison to focus on personal growth and transformation, and now he has the opportunity to begin a new chapter.
‘He’s out, but millions more remain trapped inside — there’s still so much work to be done. We need to push for real change, for a justice system that recognizes the dignity and potential for redemption in every individual.’
Flenory’s sentence ends on Jan. 27, 2026, according to the federal prison website.
