Who The Fuck Is The Old Man Named James Goldstein Who Is At Every Big Time NBA Game Surrounded By Smokes?

6/11/2025 10:10 PM

Oklahoman.com - The Oklahoma City Thunder have given every ticketholder a shirt to wear during home games in the NBA Playoffs. While many opt to wear the shirt, one courtside attendant maintains his own style.
James F. Goldstein is a basketball superfan and a courtside legend. He is best known for his courtside appearances around the world, regardless of the teams on the court.
Goldstein is hard to miss. You can see him courtside, often in a cowboy hat and neckerchief with a distinct and usually shiny jacket, a pair of white pants and sneakers.
Goldstein is an 85-year-old businessman from Milwaukee. He attended at least three of the seven-game series between the Denver Nuggets and Thunder and at least two Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves games.
Goldstein does not have a favorite team, though his season passes to both the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers would make you think otherwise.
Nonetheless, he credits Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's career as a Clipper as the introduction to him and now the two have a fashion competition, Goldstein calls it.
"I sort of tease him about fashion, because I told him he’s a competitor of mine. I have to outdress him," Goldstein said.
Instead, Goldstein cheers on the Thunder for many reasons, the first being the atmosphere.
“I love the atmosphere [of Oklahoma City]. It’s my favorite place to watch a game," Goldstein said in 2024. “There’s so much enthusiasm. Plus, everyone treats me like I’m a superstar.”

James Goldstein is the NBA superfan you’ve seen a million times and probably wondered- Who the hell is that guy?

I know I did.

Every time I caught a Lakers or Clippers game on TV, there he was, sitting courtside like he owned the place. Always with a squad of stunning 20-year-olds on his arm.

Seriously. This guy rolls so deep.

And that's just who he brings out in public to the actual games.

This is the kind of talent he has prantzing around his Hollywood Hills mansion, which he's nicknamed, #clubjames.

For years I've been wondering who the fuck is this guy. And I don't think I was alone. So I figured I'd look into him and make it a blog.

To make a point- Goldstein should not be confused for fellow NBA (and Laker) superfan, Lou Adler.

RSMX. Shutterstock Images.

Adler is a legendary music producer, credited for helping produce albums for 60s and 70s icons like The Mamas and The Papas, and Carole King. He also opened and owned the famous Whiskey A-Go-Go nightclub in LA.

(Sidebar- his son Cisco was also in the early 2000s pop-rap group Shwayze)

I used to get the two confused seeing them at Lakers games all the time, but although Adler also seems to always have some 6-foot-supermodel on his arm, he doesn't have the stable that he rotates quite like Goldstein.

Romain Guédé. Shutterstock Images.

Pascal Le Segretain. Getty Images.

David M. Benett. Getty Images.

Alberto E. Rodriguez. Getty Images.

Jacopo M. Raule. Getty Images.

Patrick McMullan. Getty Images.

Allen Berezovsky. Getty Images.

Now that Jack has hung it up, there also doesn't seem to be anybody who's as plugged in with the players throughout the league, or has more juice than this guy.

Andrew D. Bernstein. Getty Images.

Yong Teck Lim. Getty Images.

Allen Berezovsky. Getty Images.

I figured he had to have been either a mysterious billionaire or a supervillain in disguise. So I got to investigating (aka googling, and watching youtube videos). Turns out, he’s actually kind of both.

Goldstein is a walking, talking paradox. He’s a fashion icon, a celebrity socialite, and a mystery millionaire. (He prefers not to talk about how he made his money which is definitely not shady.

And unlike the rest of us schlubs who struggle to make it through a game without spilling popcorn on ourselves, Goldstein somehow manages to look like he just walked out of a GQ photoshoot every time he's photographed. Not only does he always sit courtside at games, but he does it with more swagger than a 2000s-era, shiny suit P. Diddy.

He also claims that even though he has Lakers season tickets, that doesn't mean he's a fan. He is on the record stating that he is "a fan of the game", not of a particular team. And he's backed that up by bragging about attending Lakers games back in the Kobe era, and cheering against Bryant out loud just to get the crowd all riled up.

He also says that when SGA was in LA with The Clippers, the two struck up a friendship that has carried over into a running fashion competition between the two each time they see each other.

We can hate all we want, but I think James Goldstein is the real American-Dream. Ridiculous money, sits courtside every night, dresses however the fuck he wants, and fucks 10s and 12s. Tough life.