A day ago, a somber image of Shannon Brown created online panic. The caption that accompanied the picture read: “Sad news: NBA champion – Shannon Brown – the heart of the Lakers family – has passed away after a sudden stroke. LeBron James and former Lakers stars rushed to Los Angeles that night.” That quickly spread on the internet, and several similar posts were made. But was there any truth to it, or was it another online hoax?

It is the latter. There is no official report about his death, and no former teammates have shared any posts or stories grieving. Some reports suggest the rumors started after Brown’s Instagram account shared a story about his demise. It is possible that the account could have been hacked. On the other hand, it could have also been the ex-Lakers champion acknowledging that he has seen the fake social media posts.

Brown had won two rings with Los Angeles while playing with Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. But his career was not limited to just basketball. He also ventured into acting after bagging small roles. He portrayed himself in the 2012 film ‘Think Like a Man’ and also appeared in the 2015 film ‘Trainwreck’. He appeared in music videos: Toni Braxton’s ‘Yesterday’, Monica’s ‘Love All Over Me’, and Nelly’s ‘Just a Dream’.

However, neither Brown nor his family has commented on the viral death rumors. In July, he was seen attending Chicago Cigar Week, vibing to music and posting from the event. Days later, he shared pictures from Lexington Park Village in Maywood, his hometown. 

False death rumors are not new, but in the AI-powered era, they are being generated and spread faster than ever. Earlier this year, TNT got caught in the chaos. In May, TNT’s NBA playoff coverage declared HBCU legend Billy Ray Bates dead. It happened on live television when Shaquille O’Neal referenced Bates and wrongly mentioned he was dead.

TNT later apologized to Bates and his family. Even TNT anchor Ernie Johnson corrected the error on-air. “While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, and insensitive, and inexcusable. In short, we screwed up,” he said. But the incidents don’t end here.

NFL coaching icons Joe Gibbs and Mike Holmgren were both declared dead on Facebook this summer. Several social media posts shared details and emotional farewell captions. However, Gibbs’ foundation, ‘Game Plan for Life’, released a statement debunking the rumors.

The hoax epidemic in sports culture

Go back further, and you find NBA journeyman Quinton Ross falsely reported as found dead in a trash bag in 2014. The paper that posted the news later retracted the report, informing that it was a different man who was also named Quinton Ross. Milt Palacio was also said to have died in a car accident in 2019. But both stories were false.

If we look at recent incidents, Dennis Rodman became the target of a grim April Fools’ prank this year. Rumors suggested he died from an autoerotic asphyxiation accident. But Rodman clarified after he wrote on social media, “Yesss Sirr Alive and Well What’s up.“

Even Eric Abidal, the former French international, had to take to Instagram just days ago to refute death rumors. “Certain rumors should never exist. I am here with my family, and everything is fine. Respect is essential. There is a family and my children behind me. To be clear – I am fine, alive, and in good health. Thank you for your support and your messages of concern. Let’s focus on what truly matters.”

It is clear that death rumors have been increasing lately. We live in a time where false posts are shared first but verified only later.