Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 1

LeBron James Leaves Lakers After 8 Seasons as NFL Teams and Minors Rush to Recruit Him

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 1

LeBron James Leaves Lakers After 8 Seasons as NFL Teams and Minors Rush to Recruit Him

Q: As teams from the NFL to MLB recruit him, could LeBron's next move actually be outside of the NBA?

Probably not. The flood of pitches from NFL teams, minor league baseball clubs, Kent State and even Merriam-Webster appears to be a social-media joke built around LeBron James becoming an unrestricted free agent, not evidence of a real move outside basketball. The stronger reporting points the other way: James has said he intends to play a 24th NBA season, and his agent Rich Paul says “10 to 12 teams” have already reached out. The serious discussion is about NBA destinations such as Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland and Miami, with the debate centered on fit, title chances and what teams can legally offer under the cap. There is some logic behind the playful outside-sport recruiting. James was an elite high school football player, and at 6-foot-9 he would be a historic NFL receiver. He also famously weighed NFL options during the 2011 lockout before declining. But that history cuts against a switch now: he already passed on football when he was younger, and at 41 the physical and technical demands of changing sports would be even steeper. Retirement remains the only non-NBA path that appears genuinely plausible. Some reports say he is still weighing his future with family considerations in mind. But if he keeps playing, the available evidence overwhelmingly suggests his next move will be with another NBA team, not the NFL, MLB or anywhere else.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 1

LeBron James’ plan to leave the Lakers after eight seasons triggered a wave of public pitches Tuesday from organizations far beyond the NBA, turning his free agency into a cross-sport recruiting frenzy.
NFL teams including the Jets, Packers, Bills and Texans joined in, reviving talk of James’ football potential; at 6-foot-9, he would be 1 inch taller than the tallest receiver in league history.
Baseball clubs also made their case, with the Dodgers’ Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, the Yankees’ Double-A Somerset Patriots and the Padres’ Lake Elsinore Storm all jokingly offering roster spots.
The recruiting spread beyond pro sports: Kent State floated college eligibility, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pitched the state’s quality of life, and Merriam-Webster invited James to work in its Citation Archives.
James has previously said he considered an NFL opportunity in 2011 but passed, leaving his next move after Los Angeles still centered on whether any real suitor can top the social-media spectacle.