Celebrities are being awarded blue checks on behalf of EM to give the appearance of endorsement. The Verge could confirm that LeBron James was "gifted" a blue check.

"After saying he wouldn’t pay, James was offered a complimentary subscription ‘on behalf of Elon Musk,’ who says Stephen King and William Shatner got the same deal."
https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23691831/twitter-blue-verified-celebrity-lebron-james-stephen-king

All three of these individuals previously made high-profile tweets saying they wouldn't pay.