LeBron James knew exactly why thousands packed Fanatics Fest on Thursday.
And he left them cold without answering the only question anyone really cared about.
At 41, with few career-defining decisions left, LeBron still understands the value of making everyone wait, just as he did during “The Decision” 16 years ago.
After weeks of keeping the basketball world guessing, the league’s all-time leading scorer took the stage for a live taping of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had spent the previous day teasing fans on social media that answers were finally coming.
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Instead, James drank wine, entertained recruiting pitches and served up a whole lot of nothing.
“I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” James promised the crowd, right before doing exactly that.
Not even Haliburton tried to get an answer.
When the Pacers star asked, “Is there a decision that still has to be made?” James immediately shut down his Olympic teammate.
“We literally talked about this in the back,” James said.
James’ PR team, working in the shadows, pushed that a decision was in the works and ready for the public by the weekend.
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For all the sidestepping Thursday, James did acknowledge one thing about his next move: “It’s a big decision for not only myself, but for my family as well.”
“It’s not just about the team,” James insisted.
“There’s so many other factors that I’m factoring in right now on what best fits me as a player, what best fits me as a person, and what best fits my happiness, and also my family as well.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged on Thursday how much the league is held at the whim of his decision.
“Where LeBron plays will affect the schedule. I’d like him to make his announcement already so we can finish the schedule,” Silver said.
LeBron kept every detail about his next team close to the jersey.
He laughed off crowd suggestions for Philly and Miami, then tossed a crumb to his ex, the Lakers, by noting he “spent eight great years” in L.A. while keeping the Warriors rumors on ice. Then he gave himself bulletin board material from all the discussions of his decision online.
“I’m seeing something on social media… that wherever I go, we may be in the Play-In… and I’m not a factor anymore,” James said. “So maybe that as well, too, is a little motivation.”
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The NBA is still waiting for LeBron’s next team. And like a load-management game, Fanatics fans showed up and left disappointed.
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