LeBron James and Kevin Hart have been friends and occasional sparring partners for more than a decade, and their public back and forth now has a new headline. Their chemistry goes back to early publicity stunts and a 2013 Samsung commercial where Hart roasted James on a golf swing, and that easy teasing set the tone for years of playful jabs. Recently, Hart announced he was getting serious about golf and challenged James directly in an Instagram post, a move that pushed an old friendship towards serious competition.

That Instagram post from Hart was colorful and specific about timing, and ESPN picked it up quickly on its social channels. In the post, Hart wrote “@kingjames … I am publicly challenging you to 18holes in a year …. Next Sept on the 17th …. I’m going to let the world see me k

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