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LeBron James thought he would sign with Reebok initially

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LeBron James: The best pitch that I got, where I thought I was going to end up, was actually with Reebok. At one point, I went to their meeting, and I sat down across from their CEO and the guys running basketball. I was a senior in high school at the time. I actually had to go back to class the next day. They flew me in, and I was going back to St. Vincent-St. Mary the next day, my senior year. At the end of the meeting, the guy slides a check across the table to me, my mom, and Maverick Carter. He says, “If you don’t go talk to any other companies, this is yours.” I look at it—$10 million. A $10 million check, right there.
Source: Youtube

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Travis Kelce brought out some major @KingJames heat for the newest episode of @NewHeightShow.
L-R:
• LeBron 7 “HWC” PE
• Zoom 20.5.5 “Triple Double” PE
• LeBron 8 “SVSM” PE
• LeBron 4 Playoff PE
• LeBron 3 China
• LeBron 6 Olympic “United We Rise”
• LeBron 2 “Dunkman” PE pic.x.com/gulrRvdlpz – 2:36 PM

Cleveland Plain Dealer @PDcavsinsider
LeBron James acknowledged on New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce that the 2016 championship with the Cavs was the pinnacle of his career. Photo: The Plain Dealer pic.x.com/xzSL0BvMWq – 2:01 PM

Cleveland Plain Dealer @PDcavsinsider
While talking to Jason and Travis Kelce on their ‘New Heights’ show, LeBron James had great things to say about his former team in Cleveland. Photo: AP pic.x.com/j0GctNl0Iw – 11:31 AM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
This @newheightshow w/@KingJames is really good youtube.com/watch?v=EmCsCK… – 10:49 AM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Good stat from Bulls PR: Josh Giddey is one of 4 players with at least 400 points, 250 rebounds and 225 assists this season.
Good company: Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis – 10:03 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Another thought with the Lakers. I’d like JJ to start giving Shake Milton minutes again, even just 10-ish per game. The lack of ball handlers puts so much on LeBron/Reaves’ plates and hurts an already stagnant offense. He can at least help keep the proverbial trains running. AK – 6:40 PM
Khobi Price @khobi_price
Final: Spurs 126, Lakers 102.
LAL, who drop to 20-17, was outscored 37-13 in the 4Q, 73-40 in the second half.
Lakers with 18 turnovers for 25 Spurs’ points.
Anthony Davis: 30 points, 13 rebounds. LeBron James: 18 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds but 7 turnovers. – 1:00 AM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
The Lakers come out of their six-game layoff the same way they went into it: with a double-digit defeat. Spurs beat L.A. 126-102, outscoring the Lakers 37-13 in the 4th Q. AD 30p on 13-for-18 13r 2s 2b; LeBron 18p on 7-of-11 8a 7tos; Reaves 12p on 4-of-14 8a. – 12:59 AM
Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
3Q: Tied game at 89 all. Spurs win 3Q 36-27, went on run late in the quarter with LAL turning it over.
Castle 21 pts
Wemby 20 pts
Vasell 20 pts
Davis 25 pts
LeBron 14 pts
Reaves 12 pts
Max 10 pts
2s: Spurs by 12
3s: Lakers by 12
FTs: Tie – 12:25 AM
Ball Don’t Lie @Balldontlie
Bron (10 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST) and Wemby (14 PTS, 4 REB) trade TOUGH threes as the Lakers lead San Antonio at half 😮‍💨
(via @NBA)
pic.x.com/rFKLxt1SMz – 11:40 PM

Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
Half: Lakers by 9. LAL wins the 2Q 36-25.
Wemby 14 pts
Vassell 13 pts
Davis 13 pts
Reaves 12 pts
LeBron 10 pts
2s: Lakers by 2
3s: Lakers by 9
FTs: Spurs by 2 – 11:37 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Max Christie’s 3-point attempt went 3/4 of the way down before popping out late in the 2nd Q, and the Spurs got 1 of 2 of FT’s with 1.3 seconds left to trim LA’s lead to 62-53 at the half.
LA hit 10 of 25 3’s in the half, including 2 apiece from Reaves, LeBron and Hachimura. – 11:34 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
A 9-2 Lakers run has them up 45-39 going into a Spurs time out with 6:42 left in the 2nd Q.
LeBron’s up to 10 points with 5 boards and 3 assists, looking sharp with LA being idle since last Tuesday.
Reaves has 10 points with 4 assists. – 11:20 PM
Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
40-year old Bron had to do it, and you can’t blame him. – 11:15 PM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Respect to the @LAFD.
@KingJames’ LeBron 22s tonight: pic.x.com/gDZ80yOFbD – 10:58 PM

Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
Starters for Spurs @ Lakers:
CP3 vs Reaves
Vassell vs Christie
Castle vs Rui
Barnes vs LeBron
Wemby vs Davis
The Lakers are favored by 4.5 – 10:07 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
If LeBron had Jalen Brunson’s whistle, how many points would he have? – 9:49 PM
Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
The Lakers say Anthony Davis (left plantar fasciitis) and LeBron James (left foot injury management) have been upgraded to available for tonight’s game vs. San Antonio. – 9:42 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Who is more impressive: Wemby in his second season or LeBron in his 22nd season? 🤔
@WindhorstESPN | @malika_andrews | @McNuttMonica | @ramonashelburne pic.x.com/MR3dPMZ2dD – 3:30 PM

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
When Klay Thompson topped the 16,000-point plateau on Sunday, he had this to say about it: “It’s cool, but it makes you realize how ridiculous it is that LeBron has 40-some thousand. That’s insane. But it’s cool anytime you do something like that in the NBA. It’s special.” – 1:06 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
In 2025, Zach LaVine has more 30-point games than
Steph Curry
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Anthony Davis
Damian Lillard
Joel Embiid
Donovan Mitchell
Ja Morant
James Harden
combined. pic.x.com/NRwEknHQ66 – 12:58 PM

Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
The Lakers are favored by 3.5 tonight against the Spurs.
Sochan QUESTIONABLE
LeBron, Davis PROBABLE
Bronny QUESTIONABLE
Vanderbilt, Wood, Hood-Schifino OUT – 9:03 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Klay Thompson on eclipsing 16,000 career points: “It’s cool, but it makes you realize how ridiculous it is that LeBron has 40,000. It’s insane, but it’s cool. Anytime you do something like that in the NBA, it’s a special moment.” pic.x.com/5ONB031XdH – 7:38 AM

More on this storyline

LeBron James: So they came back in, and I said, “Thank you. I would definitely like to continue our conversation, but I would be remiss if I didn’t take offers from the other companies.” I may have cried on the way home because I had to leave that. You’re questioning, “Man, I hope I just made the right decision.” I was like, “I could have bought the building that me and my mom were living in with that goddamn money—easily.” -via Youtube / January 15, 2025
LeBron James: As an 18-year-old, I was still stealing change out of my dad’s piggy bank to get some C. I was just a high school kid, man. And here they were, giving me a check for $10 million just to promise not to talk to any other companies. I told them I needed a break. They stepped out. I sat there. My mom looked at it, and me and my mom were living in an apartment, in Section 8 housing in Akron. My mom looked at me and said, “Son, trust your gut. If they’re offering you this, then who knows what the other companies might offer you? We ain’t got it already, so it’s not like this changes our life at this moment. Yes, maybe in the future. But I want you to trust your gut and do what you think is right.” -via Youtube / January 15, 2025
During his appearance on New Heights, the now-Los Angeles Lakers revealed that he was well aware of the post, which he said he used as a source of both motivation and humor. “I saw that tweet throughout all of my 30s,” James said. “And I laughed at it so hard every single time.” -via Awful Announcing / January 15, 2025