LeBron James Talks Still Being Undecided On Next Team

In 2010, then-Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James appeared on a controversial one-hour ESPN television special called The Decision to reveal the team he’d play on next.

As the world now knows, he joined the Miami Heat, forming a championship-winning super squad with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But at the time, people thought James was arrogant and selfish, ushering in the era of NBA players chasing championships by moving from team to team.

James won two championships in Miami, then returned to Cleveland to win another. After that, he moved on to the Lakers, winning the “bubble” championship in 2021. Now the 41-year-old, who will play in a historic 24th season in 2026-27, reportedly has four teams in mind – the Heat, the Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers.

At Fanatics Fest on Thursday, James says he’s not ready to reveal his choice.

“It’s going to be fun wherever I land,” he said on his Mind the Game podcast with co-host Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.

He also talked with the fans about some rumors he’s heard about his landing spot.

“I seen something on social media that wherever I go we’d be in the play in or some sh*t like that and I’m not a factor anymore. That’s just a little motivation… I’ve heard Warriors, I’ve heard Philly, Miami.”

The four-day festival is the Comic-Con for sports fans, with superstar athletes from almost every sport making an appearance.

James ended his eight seasons with the Lakers amicably, leaving them with a mostly white projected starting five, something that likely hasn’t happened since the days of George Mikan, the star of the Minneapolis Lakers in the ’40s and ’50s. (Mikan retired before the Lakers moved to California.)

James told an intrepid 11-year-old Fanfest attendee that he needed some time to decide which team might be the best fit.

“It’s a big decision for not only myself, but for my family as well,” James said. “Just for the last part of my career and where I want to spend the last few years or the last year or the last two years of my NBA career … I’m going to try to fit into whatever team I’m going into, but also give them all the tools and give them all the knowledge that I’ve been able to grasp over the last 23 years. I know the game. I know the ins and outs of the game of basketball.”

James’ final year with the Lakers held up well against his overall career stats. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, impressive statistics in any season, much less 23 years in.

He’s number one on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, surpassing previous record-holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Feb. 7, 2023.

James will speak publicly again on Thursday night at Fanatics Fest. He’s appearing with Kevin Durant’s business partner, Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman, for Game Plan Summit, presented by CNBC and Boardroom. The conversation is invite-only and will cover the increasing influence of NBA stars and James’ business interests.

See social media’s reaction to the latest LeBron news below.