Lebron James Offers No Hints About His Next Team During Podcast Recording Fans Attended

NEW YORK — If LeBron James knows wherever he will play this coming season, he’s still not saying.

The NBA’s profession scoring king and existent free supplier said publically for nan first clip successful weeks Thursday afternoon, though stopped short of revealing which squad he’ll take to play for this autumn — contempt astatine slightest 1 outcry from personification successful a jampacked room shouting for him to “pick a team.”

“It’s going to beryllium nosy wherever I land,” James said.

The four-time NBA champion was signaling an section of his “Mind nan Game” podcast alongside impermanent co-host Tyrese Haliburton of nan Indiana Pacers successful New York connected nan opening time of Fanatics Fest, a four-day arena featuring dozens of athletes, celebrities and sports legends. Single-day wide admittance tickets were sold out, organizers said, and it’s apt that galore of those patrons — location were astatine slightest respective 100 there, phones retired to seizure nan infinitesimal — were hoping to perceive James’ adjacent decision.

Not yet, he said.

“There’s nary decision,” James said.

Thursday’s quality has been planned for months; it was announced publically successful May. James playfully chided Haliburton for asking him astir his early — “didn’t we talk astir this successful nan back?” James asked, and Haliburton said he’d ”leave it alone.”

Of course, they didn’t time off it alone. James made reference to a slew of teams specified arsenic Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and Golden State, though didn’t look to springiness overmuch successful nan measurement of hints. He did sip from a vessel of reddish vino that he opened and shared pinch Haliburton, calling it 1 of his podcast traditions.

And erstwhile fans shouted retired suggestions for James’ adjacent squad — 1 moreover asked him to play for nan New York Yankees — nary clues were forthcoming.

“We’ll see,” he said.

If erstwhile Lakers guardant LeBron James knows wherever he plans to play adjacent season, he wasn’t sharing that news pinch fans connected Thursday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

James is nan NBA’s oldest progressive subordinate astatine 41 and nan only subordinate successful convention history to person a profession spanning 23 seasons; this coming play will beryllium his 24th. Speculation has been rampant for much than 2 months astir his future, officially starting successful May erstwhile nan Lakers were eliminated from nan NBA playoffs.

At that time, James said he didn’t cognize what he would beryllium doing.

And nan only developments that he’s revealed since came connected June 30, erstwhile he said he would play this coming play and that he was leaving nan Lakers aft an eight-season tally highlighted by nan 2020 NBA title.

For much than 2 weeks, nan NBA has been waiting to perceive what comes next. James, arsenic he did successful a societal media station astatine nan time, lauded his clip pinch nan Lakers, who besides offered him good wishes arsenic he moves forward.

“I spent 8 awesome years pinch nan Los Angeles Lakers,” James said.

James’ resume is beyond comparison successful NBA history. He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was a personnel of nan NBA’s 75th day team.

He’s besides coming disconnected a play wherever he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. For his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists successful much than 1,600 games.

The podcast was nan first of 2 known speaking engagements for James successful New York connected Thursday.

He besides has an quality astatine nan Game Plan Summit, an invitation-only arena presented by CNBC and Boardroom. James is slated to person a speech pinch Boardroom co-founder Rich Kleiman — Kevin Durant’s longtime business partner — astir “how he’s built an empire beyond basketball, what’s up for him successful business, and why nan adjacent procreation of athletes is poised to wield much power than ever before.”

James started his profession successful Cleveland successful 2003 and spent 7 seasons pinch nan Cavaliers earlier heading to Miami for 4 seasons — wherever he won his first 2 titles. He past returned to Cleveland for 4 much seasons, leaving successful 2018 to commencement an eight-season tally pinch nan Lakers.

Cleveland and Miami are believed to beryllium connected James’ radar again arsenic he weighs this decision, arsenic are respective different teams including Philadelphia, Minnesota and Golden State.

“I’m looking guardant to what comes adjacent arsenic I upwind down my journey,” James said.

Whyno and Reynolds constitute for nan Associated Press. Reynolds reported from Miami.