LeBron James has had two chances to make a “Decision,” and he learned his lesson after the first one. But if he were to do it over again, it’s likely he wouldn’t involve ESPN or Sports Illustrated at all.
The Wall Street Journal explored how his budding media company Uninterrupted evolved out of his second ‘Decision,’ the one that sent him back to Cleveland after penning an article in Sports Illustrated with Lee Jenkins. Since that decision, James started his own media company, Uninterrupted, that’s changed the way he would approach another ‘Decision’ if he had the chance.
According to the story, the idea for Uninterrupted started forming shortly after James announced he was returning to Cleveland.
Only hours later, on a private jet bound for the soccer World Cup in Brazil, James and Carter started talking about the potential for a company based on that process. They wanted to connect professional athletes with professional writers, producers and directors who could help them say what they wanted to say.
This is similar to what Derek Jeter’s The Players Tribune wanted to achieve, though James’ network has been more varied. Richard Jefferson‘s Road Trippin’ podcast is hosted on the network, and when JJ Redick’s podcast returns, it will be featured on Uninterrupted.
Maverick Carter was quoted in the piece and was asked about how he and James would handle a Decision if it came while LeBron owned Uninterrupted. It wouldn’t have involved ESPN at all, and chances are LeBron wouldn’t have seen nearly the backlash he did by scorning Cleveland fans on national television.
The rapid development of Uninterrupted when other media companies are struggling to reach a younger audience raises a natural hypothetical question. James went on ESPN to say he was leaving for the Heat in 2010. He chose Sports Illustrated to break the news of his move in 2014. How would he handle this type of situation in 2017?
“I think about it all the time,” Carter said. “100% we’d tell it on Uninterrupted.”
As James has gotten older he’s changed the way he approaches the media and his own message. The initial “Decision” was a huge mistake in optics, one he didn’t repeat when he left Miami to play in Cleveland again.
But now that he’s got his own way of telling stories, I doubt he goes looking for another entity to help break his news the next time it happens.
