LeBron keeps it real: Several players have said no to teaming up with me

Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, has built a résumé that includes four championships, numerous accolades, and the league’s all-time scoring record.

Now 40 years old and nearing the twilight of his career, James recently exercised his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for the 2025–26 season — one many believe could be his last in the NBA.

Despite his fame and accolades, LeBron has admitted in the past that he has had trouble convincing players to join him, especially during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Back-to-back years, two guys who could’ve played with LeBron James, Paul George and then No. 2, they said no to LeBron James. And then they teamed up to play against LeBron in his building.” — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/2oc7oyWciH

— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) July 8, 2019

“I have always recruited. I have been trying to get guys to come play with me since, like, 2007. I have gotten rejected a lot. But I have also not gotten rejected a lot. A lot of people didn’t want to come to Cleveland. Let me just throw that out there. I tried to recruit so many guys to come to Cleveland, and we actually had — I had — a couple of guys, and it just didn’t work out,” LeBron said in one interview.

The time LeBron is referring to is his first spell with the Cavaliers, for whom he played from 2003 to 2010. It’s no secret that he tried to get the likes of Joe Johnson and Michael Redd to Cleveland. In fact, he also attempted to convince Chris Bosh to leave the Toronto Raptors — none of which worked out.

However, things were vastly different at the Miami Heat, as his run from 2010 to 2014 with the franchise saw him dovetail with Dwyane Wade, while role players were eager to join and veterans took pay cuts to play with the superstar duo.

“It wasn’t hard getting guys in Miami, I will tell you that. So now that I think about being in L.A., I don’t think it would be that hard to get guys here,” he added.

At the Lakers, too, LeBron has faced setbacks when it comes to recruiting players. Kawhi Leonard most famously chose to sign with their rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, in the summer of 2019. However, since then, there hasn’t been any news of a top player rejecting the overtures of the now 40-year-old.

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