Lakers' LeBron James Pays Tribute to Chadwick Boseman Before Game 5

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James paid tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman before his team's first-round playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.

James knelt during the national anthem and gave the "Wakanda Forever" salute in honor of Boseman's role as the Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe.

Boseman died at the age of 43 on Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. The actor appeared in four MCU films, most recently Avengers: End Game. He starred in Black Panther, which earned $1.35 billion in its first box office run and won three of the seven Academy Awards it was nominated for in 2018.

Boseman also portrayed Jackie Robinson in 42 and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, among many other roles.

James joins many other current and former athletes who have offered condolences or paid tribute to Boseman, including ex-NBA star Dwyane Wade, United States women's national soccer team captain Megan Rapinoe and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.