LeBron James has reportedly been offered a $1 billiоn deal by a Saudi Arabian basketball team, and he has been photographed in the country just weeks after joking that he would play there in the future.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the 38-year-old Lakers star captioned a selfie shot by Bader bin Farhan Alsaud, the Kingdom’s minister of culture, with “Love my brother!!! For the time being.
James’ agent Maverick Carter was there, along with two other people.
An internet article suggests that James was invited to witness a friendly match at AZM Academy, although it is unknown why the four-time NBA champion was in the Saudi capital of Riyadh this week.
Not too long ago, video showing James and a group of businessmen leaving an office building also became popular online.
However, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers need not worry that “The King” will soon be playing for another NBA team, as it is not inconceivable that James will play in the Middle Eastern country for a big sum of money once he retires from the NBA.
In July, James showed fans how quickly he would travel to Saudi Arabia if offered a startling sum of money to play there by posting a GIF of Forrest Gump sprinting.
French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-German turned down a $776 million offer from Al-Hilal this summer to remain in Europe.
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has said in the past that he would consider relocating to Saudi Arabia if presented with an offer he could not refuse.
According to Sportsmanor, James has been linked with a two-year, $1 billiоn deal to play for Al-Hilal, but a trip there could cause him emotional distress owing to the Kingdom’s record of human rights violations.
Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson, among other renowned players, have all relocated to the country despite its reputation.
James’s eldest son Bronny suffered a heart arrest in July, and his recovery has kept him very busy this summer. A congenital cardiac abnormality was discovered in the upcoming USC player.
James and his family celebrated his bobblehead night at the LA Dodgers game and a Drake concert last month.
He has a player option for the 2024–25 season remaining on his Lakers contract that is worth $99 million. If James’s kid Bronny is drafted by an NBA franchise, James has said he wants to play on the same team.
