LeBron James is enjoying all the attention surrounding his upcoming decision, and promises he will make an announcement sometime soon.
The 41-year-old legend has been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, among others.
“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” he said Thursday at the CNBC and Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Speaking Thursday evening on Sports Center, McMenamin added, “Talking to sources close to LeBron, they truly believe that he is close to a decision. Folks around the league are hoping that that decision comes as early as early next week.”
James has been heavily linked to the Cavaliers, the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003 and the team he led to an NBA title in 2016.
ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that James has spent time in his hometown of Akron, Ohio in recent weeks and has specifically spent time with his childhood friend Brandon Weems, the assistant general manager for the Cavaliers. James has also spent time with free agent Draymond Green, who declined his player option with the Warriors.
In June, James enjoyed a reunion of the 2016 team alongside Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye in Great Britain. The group posed for photos near Tower Bridge in London and played golf at Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland.
As for the Warriors, head coach Steve Kerr joked with a Warriors fan on Wednesday, “Oh we got him. Put that on Twitter.”
Meantime, during Giannis Antetokounmpo’s introductory press conference Thursday in Miami, president Pat Riley was asked by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk about James.
“We’ve had conversations with Rich [Paul of Klutch Sports] and they were very good,” Riley said. “And so if that happens and he wants to come to the ‘305,’ we got a golf course. The weather’s nice, Steve Kerr, it’s the same thing down here.” Riley added, “There’s no state tax in Florida,” per Youngmisuk.
As for James, he didn’t make any news on Thursday but said he plans to have “fun” wherever he goes.
“So, wherever I land in the fall, hopefully you’re ride-or-die LeBron fans if you’ve been down with me since day one, I hope you ride with me there,” James said. “If you’re a ride-or-die LeBron hater, that’s what you do anyway. So, I’m looking forward to seeing you as well.
“But it’s going to be pretty fun. It’s going to be pretty fun. Wherever I land, I’m going to do what I do best.”
