LeBron James isn’t ready to let the proverbial cat out of the bag just yet.
During a live edition of Mind the Game at Fanatics Fest NYC on Thursday (July 16), James, currently a free agent after confirming he would not be donning a Lakers jersey for the upcoming season, spoke a bit about his current mindset as NBA fans continue to debate his next move. Unsurprisingly, he declined to get specific, or even so much as suggest a possible landing spot.
“First of all, I shout out my former team,” he said Thursday, as seen in the Mike Vorkunov-captured clip below. “I spent eight great years with the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most historical franchises in the world. Shout out Jeanie Buss, the whole Buss family, Rob Pelinka, everybody. All the coaches that I played for there, all my teammates. Shit, I'm gonna miss them all, obviously. So that was an unbelievable ride, and I'm just looking forward to what holds next as I wind down the final stages of my journey.”
The four-time NBA champion then offered invitations to both his ride-or-die fans, and his ride-or-die haters, to join him wherever he brings his proven talents next. James also responded to the audience’s cheers and suggestions for where he should head.
“I heard Warriors… Philly… Miami… This guy said come to the Yankees,” James said with a laugh.
“Hopefully, you know, if you’re ride-or-die LeBron fan, if you've been down with me since day one, I hope you ride with me there,” he told the Fanatics Fest crowd. “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 gon’ be pretty fun, it's gon’ be pretty fun. Wherever I land, I'm gonna do what I do best.”
Where James ultimately lands is anyone’s guess, though speculation has been rampant. Rick Ross, for one, would very much like to see James return to Miami, where he previously spent four seasons. For now, though, we remain in the wait-and-see phase.
