No one knows what jersey LeBron James will be wearing come next October, but he already sports a blue Yankee fitted out on the town, which may match some New Jersey Nets gear pretty well.
According to an article in the New York Post, rap megastar and Nets part owner Jay-Z might be an important influence when LeBron decides his future. The two have been friends since James was in high school and coming together with the Nets, who will move from New Jersey to Brooklyn within the next few years, could benefit both stars in their own way.
Sonny Vaccaro, an Adidas mogul who also jumped on board the King James Express while LeBron was still in high school, said he thought Jay-Z’s presence with the Nets makes them an immediate contender in the LeBron sweepstakes.
“LeBron and Jay-Z is something that is inseparable and you almost have to include that in the equation,” Vaccaro said. “I think [Jay-Z] will be consulted. Jay-Z was LeBron before LeBron was LeBron. That’s the respect LeBron shows for him.”
James and Jay-Z already team up once a year during the NBA All-Star Break to co-host a party called “The Two King Dinner and After party,” which has been a fixture during the All-Star festivities for the past four years.
Another possible scenario could involve James signing a short-term deal with the New York Knicks, and then opting out to join the Nets after three years. At that time, the team will have transitioned to its new home in the Big Apple, and had a few years to recover after finishing with the worst record in the league this season. With new Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov promising an NBA title within 5 years, LeBron’s timetable could fit well.
