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Basketball player LeBron James spotted wearing Rolex

Courtside at a Lakers game, LeBron James was photographed wearing the Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR — the so-called 'Lefty Sprite' — on its five-link Jubilee bracelet. James, one of the most watch-literate athletes in professional sports, chose one of the most consequential new references Rolex has released in years, and the choice reads as deliberate as any play he draws up.

The 126720VTNR is a 40mm Oystersteel case powered by the in-house Calibre 3285, a movement built on the 3235 architecture featuring Rolex's Chronergy escapement, a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve. The defining feature, however, is structural: the crown and crown-guards sit at 9 o'clock, making this the brand's first purpose-built left-handed GMT. The bidirectional 24-hour bezel — a first for the GMT-Master II line — is rendered in black and green Cerachrom ceramic, earning the immediate 'Sprite' nickname from the collector community at debut.

Historically, the GMT-Master lineage traces to 1954 and Pan Am pilot briefs. The 126720VTNR represents a sharp departure from that utilitarian DNA, signaling Rolex's willingness to break its own conventions. The left-hand crown configuration means right-handed wearers adjust the bezel without removing the watch — a genuine ergonomic argument, not marketing language. The Jubilee bracelet option lends the reference an elegant, dressy register that the Oyster version does not.

LeBron James has long maintained a serious watch collection, with Patek Philippe and Rolex anchoring his rotation. His courtside appearances routinely draw watch-spotting attention, and his selection of the 126720VTNR — over more obvious flex pieces — suggests genuine taste rather than stylist placement. The 'Sprite' color palette also coordinates neatly with Lakers adjacency to the Celtics rivalry, which is either a coincidence or a very good joke.

At an official retail price of $11,050 USD, the 126720VTNR is effectively unobtainable at list through authorized dealers. Grey market values have settled in the $20,000–$24,000 range, reflecting sustained demand and tight allocation. For collectors, the Lefty GMT represents a historically significant pivot from Rolex — and LeBron wearing it on the Jubilee only reinforces its cultural momentum.