When news broke earlier this week that LeBron James’s business partner Maverick Carter was advising a group of investors on an international basketball league slated to compete with the NBA, most assumed King James himself would be involved in some capacity.
That appears to not be the case according to reporting by John Ourand of Puck. However, that isn’t stopping ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith from speculating that Carter still has LeBron’s best interests at heart. And at the center of those interests, Smith believes, is LeBron becoming an owner of an NBA team.
“[LeBron James] wants the NBA to think about what he can do if they don’t acquiesce and ultimately let him become the owner of an NBA franchise.” 😳 @stephenasmith on Maverick Carter advising a new international basketball league that could be a “rival to the NBA”. 👀 pic.twitter.com/NKZF0GksTM
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 17, 2025
“LeBron James recognizes he won’t ultimately become an owner of an NBA franchise. Or, he wants the NBA to think about what he can do if they don’t acquiesce and ultimately let him become the owner of an NBA franchise down the line,” Smith suggested on First Take.
Smith believes that LeBron has an uphill battle ahead to endear himself with NBA owners, many of whom aren’t exactly fans of the league’s preeminent superstar.
“Has he been the marquee? Sure. Has he answered the call as the marquee? Fine. He’s got four championships, four league MVPs, has never cheated the game with his effort, his conditioning, etc., etc. But you know, when you look at today’s NBA culture, when you look at some of the hits NBA players take, particularly as we approach All-Star weekend and the Slam Dunk Contest that LeBron James never participated in, the flagrant lackadaisical effort they put forth during All-Star weekend… along with that player empowerment movement that LeBron has instigated… those kind of things, the flagrant manner in which he has done it, that has served to turn owners off… How much does that serve to ingratiate him with them in terms of their support with him coming in as an owner?”
If Smith is right, and this is how James perceives the ownership ranks view him, then it makes all the sense in the world that he’d involve himself in a venture that could threaten the league to gain leverage. He’d at least do it through one of his proxies (Maverick Carter) if he didn’t want to ruffle as many feathers in the process.
Or, this could all simply be exploratory on Carter’s part and have nothing to do with his longtime business partner LeBron James.
This should all come into clearer focus in the coming years as LeBron wraps up his playing career and eyes his next step. Keeping this international league in his back pocket could be a handy way for James to apply some pressure if he thinks the league won’t help him in his post-playing ambitions.
