SportsFullCircle

The LeBron James sweepstakes is being discussed more than ever as of late, possibly because of the fuel King James added to the fire. James talked to reporters for team U.S.A. yesterday, and listed New York as his favorite city. To the Knicks chagrin, however, James listed Brooklyn as his favorite borough, the future location of the New Jersey Nets. The Nets plan to move to Brooklyn and play at the Barclays Center starting in 2010.

Both the Knicks and the Nets appear to be trying to unload cap space to be able to sign LeBron to a max deal in 2010, that is assuming he opts out of his contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent. This was made very evident by the Nets when they traded away Richard Jefferson a few days ago.

There appears to be some truth to the rumors of LeBron’s departure to New York (and specifically Brooklyn). James is friends with Jay-Z, a part owner of the Nets. As previously mentioned, LeBron calls New York his favorite city, and Brooklyn his favorite borough, making it more likely that he would join the Nets than the Knicks. Finally, LeBron has made public his goal as an athlete, to become a global icon like Michael Jordan.

Jordan was the best player that ever lived, but is also the richest athlete on Earth because of his great marketing. James probably wishes to move to a larger market where he can become a larger icon. It is evident that he will try and become a larger icon at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, where he will be playing in front of a large audience of basketball fans that do not get to see him regularly.

It seems a foregone conclusion that King James will come to New York in the summer of 2010, the only question that remains in which team.