LeBron James is still making the most of “Taco Tuesday.”
Seven years after his bid to trademark the popular phrase was rejected, James shared a video showing himself enthusiastically working through at least three plates of tacos.
The clip opened with James appearing subdued as he told viewers, “Hey, y’all I’m just chilling here, relaxing. And you know, I’m not really having a good day,” before quickly flipping the mood with a loud, “Sike!”
“You know what today is. It’s Taco Tuesday,” James said.
He then celebrated with a scream that rang out through Mike’s Red Tacos, a San Diego taco restaurant preparing to open a new Pasadena location.
James’ trademark application was denied because “Taco Tuesday” was deemed too common a phrase to be owned by one party.
According to ESPN, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that the requested mark was “a commonplace term, message, or expression widely used by a variety of sources that merely conveys an ordinary, familiar, well-recognized concept or sentiment message.”
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The USPTO also told James’ trademark company that “Taco Tuesday” is “a widely used message” employed by different parties to promote tacos and celebrate the food on a designated day of the week.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that James sought the trademark largely to protect himself from potential legal action over his use of the phrase.
James has long made Taco Tuesday a recurring feature on social media, previously posting videos of himself and his family enjoying tacos together.
“I love tacos, and I especially love how they bring people together to create traditions and share great moments around the table with family and friends,” James said in a statement released by Fox 5 in San Diego. “In addition to having an incredible taco, Mike’s Red Tacos bring those same values to life in a fresh, new way for consumers.”
While James has been enjoying his time on a fun trip down memory lane, it comes before new beginnings, as he is just two weeks away from joining his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, for NBA training camp, after he signed with them this past July on a two-year, $8 million deal that includes a player option.
James spent the last eight years of his career with the Lakers, where he averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists, and 7.7 rebounds during his Los Angeles tenure.
During the 2019-2020 NBA season, James led the Lakers to their 17th title in franchise history, where he was crowned Finals MVP after averaging 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists.