LeBron James revealed that he would have signed with the New York Knicks if they didn’t win the championship.
During NBA Media Day, James spoke about how he was close to coming to the Big Apple.
”I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James told ESPN on Monday. “One of the best places I’ve ever played.’
”I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as a basketball player goes. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it,” he added.
James admitted that the backlash would have been too much if her joined a team that just won the title.
”Y’all wouldn’t have let me lay that down, at all,” James said, referring to the media at large. “But much respect to the Knicks, obviously. An unbelievable team, unbelievable players. Shout out, Jalen Brunson. I love that guy; he’s unbelievable. But, yeah, I’m happy where I’m at, and I’m looking forward to it.”
James stunned the sports world by taking a team-friendly deal with Philadelphia to chase one last title alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. In that alternate timeline, joining the 76ers gives James a final opportunity to act as the ultimate floor general—sacrificing financial maximums for roster depth to push Philadelphia past the Eastern Conference elite and secure a storybook fifth championship.
James also spoke about what he brings to the Sixers.
“You got to try to stay even keel,” James said. “Understand that the noise is going to be the noise. What happens outside of this building is going to consistently happen, and it’s going to be doubled and tripled and quadrupled now that I’m here. It just comes with the territory. I understand it.”
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