LeBron finally talks on why he chose Lakers for his new team
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 31 Jul 2018
A little more than a month following his signing a four-year, $153 deal with Los Angeles, NBA superstar LeBron James on Sunday finally broke his silence on why he chose the Lakers over several teams, including his former team the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In a video post through his own company, Uninterrupted, via Twitter, James stated that the choice was something he long dreamed of and came to fruition at an ideal time of his career.
?This has always kind of been a dream come true for me,? James said. ?Growing up, I was a Cowboys fan. I was a Bulls fan. I was a Yankees fan. I always felt that was one of the historic franchises.?
?Then you look at the Lakers. Being able to play for a historic franchise with so much history and now being able to partner with Magic Johnson, (who is) someone I looked up to when I was younger,? he argued.
?Wanted to make no-look passes like Magic. Wanted to get on the break and be Showtime like Magic. Then for it all to come to fruition at this point, I think the timing is everything,? James pointed out.
?For me to be in this position now, the excitement to be a Laker, I am happy to be a part of it because I believe the Lakers is a historic franchise. We all know that, but it?s a championship franchise and that?s what we are trying to get back to. I am happy to be a part of the culture and us getting back to that point,? Bron explained.?
His statements were made during the opening of his I Prsomise school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, through the LeBron James Family Foundation.
The Los Angeles Lakers were the odds-on favorite to land James in free agency even before the NBA Finals, but that doesn't mean it was an easy decision for him. While most felt that the pitiful postseason performance of the Cavaliers' supporting cast ruined any chances of LeBron returning to Cleveland, there were other intriguing options out there for the King.
While he mostly gave the details of his latest philanthropic endeavor, he also talked a little basketball. James revealed which teams he considered before ultimately signing with the Lakers, as told to Harrison Faigen of SBNation:
"I did my due diligence after the season on the pros and cons on a lot of different teams, including the Cavs, Philadelphia, Houston and Los Angeles," James said. "So it wasn't as quick as it may seem. It just wasn't July 9 like it was before. So after talking to my family more than anybody, I felt like this was the next step in my journey."
Everybody knew the 76ers and the Rockets, along with the Cavs and the Lakers, were making a strong push for James' services, but it's interesting to hear that he actually considered all four teams, and possibly some others.
The fact that he has the potential to put the Lakers back to relevancy in the league after a five-year playoff hiatus, James? revelations have made it clear that he will fully embrace the process of lifting the team back to being a dominant force in their bid for an NBA title.
There is a renewed buzz and excitement around the city of Los Angeles that has been lacking for quite some time, and James appears to be more than ready to help lift the Lakers back on top.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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