How poisonous is the Arizona bark scorpion, which scared LeBron James in the shower?

LeBron James won't forget this week's visit to Arizona for a long time. The Lakers traveled to the Grand Canyon State to take on the Suns in their penultimate game of the preseason. But the reason why this trip will be an unforgettable one for the American forward has little to do with what happened on the court. James came face to face with a poisonous scorpion as he got out of the shower in his hotel room.

LeBron was keen to share the full story on his socials, posting a video in which the small, but very poisonous, intruder appeared, walking freely through his bathroom and heading straight towards him while he was finishing his shower (or at least, trying to).

"The scorpion tried to get me when I was getting out of the shower. Luckily, I was walking with my head down and saw it move. Welcome to Arizona," LeBron wrote on his Instagram account, where the NBA star has millions of followers.

The Arizona bark scorpion, the most venomous of the species in North America

LeBron James' unexpected companion during his stay was an Arizona bark scorpion. This is a very common species found in homes throughout the United States - they are found in southern California, southern Nevada, extreme southwestern Utah and western New Mexico with a special presence in the state of Arizona.

The small (measuring at most 5.2 centimeters long) light brown-colored scorpion is a tough guy. It's the most venomous scorpion in North America one of the few whose venom is deadly to humans. And despite the NBA star's scare, it's not surprising that the forward came across one, since this type of scorpion is attracted to dark and damp places.

The Arizona bark scorpion's sting causes severe pain (sometimes with numbness, tingling, and vomiting) in adult humans, typically lasting between 24 and 72 hours. There have been two recorded fatalities in the state since 1968.

A scare that could have ended very badly for LeBron James, who is just days away from starting his 22nd season in the best basketball league in the world, where he will be, for the second consecutive year, the oldest player.