Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 9:00 am  |  141 responses

LeBron James’ Decision to Be Televised Thursday Night

by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

LeBron became the king of all media yesterday, as he launched a new website, signed up for Twitter, and concluded matters by getting into the TV business.

James will reportedly announce his highly anticipated free agent destination tomorrow night at 9PM ET, during a television special on ESPN. For some reason, this will take an hour.

ESPN, um, reports (through independent sources, but with confirmation from ESPN. Or something):

ESPN would only confirm that active discussions for the special are ongoing. But sources tell Broussard that representatives for James contacted the network, proposing that James makes his announcement during a 9 p.m. ET special.

Those sources said that James’ representatives requested they be allowed to sell sponsorship for the one-hour special, with the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and that ESPN agreed to the proposal but had not been told what James has decided.

James’ plans still are a closely guarded secret. He visited with six teams — the New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls — last week at his business offices in downtown Cleveland and may have made up his mind already. But until he gives word, other teams are positioning themselves to make a run at the 6-foot-8, 260-pound All-Star — or Bosh or Wade, or maybe a combination.

Now, I’m not sure how James and ESPN are going to fill an entire hour’s worth of television programming time to announce LeBron’s decision, but they will undoubtedly come up with something that everyone will find a way to hate.

So, good times ahead!

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  • Shem

    Just so you guys know, LeBron’s agent (who quoted him) said: That LeBron’s narrowed down his options to 3 teams. Those teams being the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New Jersey Nets as well as the Chicago Bulls.

  • http://www.clownpenis.com Tarzan Cooper

    U know whats worse than all this hype n bs leading up to brons decision? After he announces it, itll be nothn but hype about his new team, how soon a chip, etc. Even more hype and bs

  • http://brimartin13@gmail.com Brion

    Co sign JTaylor

  • Overtime

    Exactly Tarzan, exactly.
    P.s: Slam a bit late on reporting Booz’s move?

  • J-RO

    Just got word that Boozer signed with the bulls for 5 years $80million.

  • http://www.slamonline.com J

    you cant control the media doin what they do, they have to earn money.. but you can control yourself typing about this hoopla if you really say you are sick of it. you blame media for writing about this but you yourself type your own prediction, hate, bash, then say your sick of it at the same time.. yes.. you are basically contributing to the hype.

  • jbone

    i already have the inside scoop!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ3r0o9toL8

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000580635564 Bryan

    I think Izzo would be the best Tweeter ever.

  • Clay

    The only way LeBron can be compared to Michael Jordan is if tomorrow night he announces that he’s deciding to play professional baseball.

  • http://www.shawnkemp.com JACO

    @Clay the other way is by deciding his decision in a two word format as well.

  • matt

    My new least favorite player in the NBA is Lebron James. My new favorite player is KD. This free-agency period sure exposed these players.

  • BostonBaller

    In a few years this will happen again w/ another player. The media gets worse every few years so what LBJ is doing isn’t that far fetched, Magic, MJ and others had just as much clout and pull but not the media heat due to overhyped world media. The Kobe/LBJ, hate/love thing on this site is mind boggling. Why is it if you are a Kobe “fan” you hate LBJ and vica versa? Why is it that the other has to be downgraded to boost the other and the fans of either are dumb etc etc? I know I know, I suck b/c I have GREEN shades on and I am a dumb C’s fan..yadda yadda yabba dabba doo…I hope Miami & NY stack their teams and The Bulls & Cavs beat them in the playoffs. lol.

  • dino

    LeBron James to the……………

  • dino

    LeBron James to the……………

  • http://www.shawnkemp.com JACO

    EUROPEAN LEAGUE!!!!!! what, u guys don’t think he will go to europe??

  • O

    I’m a fan of Kobe, but I have to say, he’s a bird.

  • O

    Plus, Jared Dudley’s crazy fronting. Only way his tweet is true is if he’s a Lebron hater and wants to spoil the big surprise and ruin his hour special. I do hope he’s telling the truth, but I doubt it.

  • http://sportschump.net Chris Humpherys

    If ESPN is to televise Thursday’s LeBroadcast, are they intentionally calling off their dogs to find out exactly where he’s going to sign?

  • http://www.slamonline.com J

    co sign bostonballer..

  • http://www.hibachi20.blogspot.com Hursty

    hey, wow. Izzo is alive.

  • fonz

    I dont know why everyone keeps saying that the combination of Wade/Bosh or Stat/Chandler/Galliarni are better than the Combo of Harris/Lee/Lopez or Rose/Deng/Gibson/Boozer/Noah.
    Yes I have a Bulls bias but they are the better fit for Lebron to win now. The combo of the “Dream Team” Wade Bosh and Lebron would not work because wade and Lebron would need the ball to much and whatever happened to bosh wanting to be centerpiece of the team. He is clearly second choice right now and would be 3rd choice with Lebron coming.
    And sure Lebron would average a triple double ith Dantoni but Lebron could average a triple double aneywhere else as well.
    And the Nets look nice but lets not forget that they did only win 12 games and find ways to lose games just like the knicks.
    And with the bulls you clearly have it all a young superstar pg who isnt afraid to share the ball or take over the game if needed, a rising center, an allstar in boozer who can take it in the hole and releive lebron of some pressure when he drives in, gibson who is on his way to becoming the next boozer and deng who is a bit overrated but can knock down that jumpshot when wide open-which he will be if lebron comes.

  • http://www.twitter.com/mansonovic Mansonovic

    Yeah, I’m one of LeBron’s biggest defenders, but this seems a pretty douchey way of doing things.

  • Larsylad

    Sht sound he go to Miami? However that sound go down, the King would be viewed as – and i suite Bosh – an addition. He doesnt NEED 2 big stars to team with. He Will go to New Jersey. The one jour TV-show Will be à Jay-Z consert featuring a battle with Lil Wayne as the highlight. At the end, Brons re-recorded video message will be one word: “Guess”.

  • Larsylad

    Now, when it’s all become official, hos hard will it be to lure other FA’s to NJ?

  • dino

    Out of 10. 7

  • damien

    Bron Bron is signing with the Heat. D Wade Riley got their wish and now instead of Lebron chasing the title of the G.O.A.T he now has the potential to be the greatest second fiddle in basketball history. what a backwards ass move, I guess SLAM can give him a new nickname like everybody else because he is not befitting of King status

  • Slim

    LeBron’s ego is way too big to go to Wade’s house. Unlike LeMedia whore, Wade actually won a chip. Miami is HIS house, and there’s just not enough room there for James’ throne to fit. Chicago would be a great fit but I don’t see it happening. He’s either going to New York to pursue his “center of the universe” complex or he’s sticking at home, which will make this hour-long special even more of a joke.

  • Jessdogg

    all you people talk all this nonsense, questioning why would he do this etc.. yet there isn’t a single one of you that isn’t going to watch this announcement…

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    I really don’t think a few star players moving in the (L)eastern conference is gonna do anything to where real ball is played on the west coast. Free agents dont’ garentee franchise or even rings. Good coaching, bringing up rookies around solid vets and a deep bench do more for a franchise than any one man has ever done. The only team that has done that in the east is Boston.
    There is no Lebron in team.

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    And when this special comes on, gonna pop in my Micheal Jordan to the Max in the blu-ray and forget all about whiners who don’t shake opponents hands when they lose in the playoffs and have no rings.

  • Ronald

    @Chief: Yeah, KG and Ray Allen were rookies born abd bred in Boston.

  • nastierthanu

    If the proceeds are going to the boys and girls club than I’m all for it. Nice work

  • BostonBaller

    What’s that song? “The Heat Is On”? If LBJ goes to Miami that does NOT, I repeat, Does NOT assure a title: See Lakers w/ Shaq, Kobe, Payton & Malone. This would not be the 1st “mega-tram as you see above unless you consider media-wise. The hype machine has never been this oiled up before, this is the age of overhyping the smallest play (although this situation is huge) I believe that if LBJ & Wade weren’t leading the FA market this year the others would get hyped above their worth. IMO

  • Joe

    I bet he will announce his decision (Miami) in the first 10 minutes and then the rest of the hour will be like one of those HGTV home shows where he picks between three houses. My wife is definitely watching.

  • BostonBaller

    Joe: lol

  • http://www.nba.com/sun Dacre

    Let me be the one guy in the room that locks in the NETS as the front runner – he’s there with two allstars in brook lopez and devin harris, a capable big that can finish as well as any big he’s payed with and a pg that can score and create for others better than he has ever had in cleveland – he has the opportunity to stand as THE man, which he doesn’t get in MIA or Chicago (Rose, this is HIS team…). Bringing respect back to the Clippers is too big a task for any man and Amar’e wants to be kingpin in Gotham (but looks more like the the penguin…) so thats out. Brooklyn/New Jersey gives LeBron a big market to play in, it gives his posse some punch what with Beyonces husband kicking around the place and look at the Russian owner – HE WANTS IT MORE THAN ANYONE RIGHT NOW…
    LEBRON IS GOING TO NEW JERSEY.

  • JoeMaMa

    I think LeBron James is going to go to Harley Globentoots. They play a winning game and entertain the crowds with all sorts of neat doo-dads and bim-bams. Curly Boo has been burning up the phone lines to get him, and me thinks we’ll all see LeBron throwing a bucket of water on a ref near you. Box of crackerjack says I’m halfway not un-incorrect.

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    @ronald was talking about rondo, big baby, being brought up around the boston vets. Rondo is ten times more effective cause he grew up around men. Who has ever told Lebron to sit the f*uck down in the locker room?
    No one, not even Mike Brown. your man Bron thinks he is bigger than the game. Melo will end up being a better player cause he grew up around vets. kobe grew up around vets. They waited for their turn to lead. Lebron obviously doesn’t know how to lead him company into battle. We’ve been shown that multiple times. No mid range game, no rings, so I’ve got no time to waste on this. Kobe hasn’t changed teams so it’s still the same game.

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    @ronald was talking about rondo, big baby, being brought up around the boston vets. Rondo is ten times more effective cause he grew up around men. Who has ever told Lebron to sit the f*uck down in the locker room?
    No one, not even Mike Brown. your man Bron thinks he is bigger than the game. Melo will end up being a better player cause he grew up around vets. kobe grew up around vets. They waited for their turn to lead. Lebron obviously doesn’t know how to lead him company into battle. We’ve been shown that multiple times. No mid range game, no rings, so I’ve got no time to waste on this. Kobe hasn’t changed teams so it’s still the same game.

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    @ronald was talking about rondo, big baby, being brought up around the boston vets. Rondo is ten times more effective cause he grew up around men. Who has ever told Lebron to sit the f*uck down in the locker room?
    No one, not even Mike Brown. your man Bron thinks he is bigger than the game. Melo will end up being a better player cause he grew up around vets. kobe grew up around vets. They waited for their turn to lead. Lebron obviously doesn’t know how to lead him company into battle. We’ve been shown that multiple times. No mid range game, no rings, so I’ve got no time to waste on this. Kobe hasn’t changed teams so it’s still the same game.

  • http://www.iwishispitinyourfood.com/ i hate him

    I hate him even more than before. All the questions were softball questions, nothing got answered. I wish I could get that 1/2 hr back of my life.

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