LeBron James enjoys a night fit for a king at Lavo

LeBron James on the red carpet. Photo: Denise Truscello

Elvis Presley wasn’t the only king spotted in Las Vegas Friday night (July 23).

Basketball’s most wanted man, LeBron James, spent the night at Lavo inside The Palazzo celebrating his recent contract signing with the Miami Heat. James was joined by Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, San Diego Charger Shaun Phillips, Atlanta Hawk Josh Smith, Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtic Rajon Rondo and Larry Hughes of the Charlotte Bobcats. Fans of all ages waited outside the celebrity dining hotspot for the arrival of King James, who enjoyed dinner at the Italian eatery after walking the red carpet. Lavo favorites including the Calamari, Chicken Parmagiano and famed Kobe Meatball were served along with Crown and Ginger cocktails and Lemon Drop shots.

After dinner, James and his friends took over some VIP tables on the dance floor in Lavo’s nightclub where they danced and partied the night away, fueled by Perrier Jouët Rose Champagne, Patron Tequila and vodka. While at the club, James was presented with a cake from Gimme Some Sugar--a replica of his new Miami Heat No. 6 jersey. Miami Heat teammate Dwayne Wade later joined the party after hitting Tao earlier in the night. Denver Nugget Chauncey Billups was also spotted enjoying the night with his fellow NBA stars.

One of the hottest celebrity restaurants in Las Vegas, Lavo features a 180-seat dining room, a 20-seat private dining room and 100 seats on an outdoor terrace overlooking the famed Las Vegas Strip. The Italian restaurant opens nightly at 5 p.m. and serves dinner Sun.-Thurs. until midnight and Fri.-Sat. until 1 a.m. To reserve your table, call 702-791-1800.

For more pictures of LeBron James at Lavo, check out the slideshow below.