Published 12:00 IST, June 29th 2020
LeBron James' 'The Decision' was surprisingly a fan's idea, confirms ESPN documentary
In a recent report, ESPN revealed that LeBron James The Decision was actually the idea of a fan named Drew Wagner, who sent a mail to Bill Simmons.
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Few moves have caught as much attention over the years in the NBA as LeBron James' decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, in what has since been regarded as one of the greatest sports stories of all time. The news was delivered during 'LeBron James The Decision', which was broadcast via a television special in 2010. Ten years after the special, reports revealed that the special was actually a fan's idea.
LeBron James The Decision was actually a fan's idea
In a recent report, ESPN revealed that James' show was actually the idea of a fan. As per ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr, the inspiration was taken from a fan's question sent to then-ESPN writer Bill Simmons. ESPN reported that the fan, Drew Wagner, suggested the idea in the question he asked – What if LeBron announces he will pick his 2010-11 team live on ABC on a certain date for a show called 'LeBron's Choice? What type of crazy ratings would that get?
The reports added that during the All-Star Game weekend in February 2010, Simmons pitched the idea of LeBron James The Decision to James' business partner Maverick Carter, then-agent Leon Rose and James' advisor William Wesley. In an email, Simmons wrote that Rose and Wesley has loved the idea. After their approval, Simmons pitched the idea to senior ESPN executives.
At the time, Simmons suggested a 90-minute documentary which the free agency recruitment tour called 'The Courting of the King' along with 'LeBron's Decision' where LeBron James would choose his new team in free agency on the live show. Both shows were to be aired on ABC. The show was finalised that year in June when Maverick Carter spoke with Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel and broadcaster Jim Grey, who hosted the show.
In the end, then-ESPN president John Skipper gave James and Carter an hour of broadcast time on July 8. The LeBron James Family Foundation then donated $2 million to the national Boys and Girls Clubs of America. While talking to Van Natta, Wagner revealed that he used to enjoy Simmons' mailbag 'quite a bit' and thought that James would announce where he would go like the same way ' kids do and announce it live on TV'. Wagner recently found out about him being the inspiration behind the show and had believed it to be an 'odd coincidence' before that. He told ESPN that he was not aware of how things worked and always believed 'in the back of his mind' that maybe he gave birth to idea somehow, but did not think he deserved anything in return.
James' reaction received massive backlash from the Cleveland Cavaliers fans as he decided to move to South Beach. However, James returned to the Cavaliers, winning a championship in 2016 along with four back-to-back finals appearances. While with the Heat, James won them two consecutive championships (2012, 2013). In 2018, James left Cavaliers for the second time to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James The Decision
(Image source: NBA stats official Twitter)
12:00 IST, June 29th 2020