Report: LeBron James Would Consider Playing in Europe for $50 Million a Year

The "LeBron James could go to Europe" meme is picking up steam. ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that a person close to LeBron has indicated that LeBron would strongly consider getting his passport stamped if he's offered a salary "around $50 million a year" when he becomes a free agent the summer of 2010. And from the sounds of it, at least two Euro teams are chomping at the bit to get in line:

The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.

[...] The source close to James said he would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas.

I know some people cling to the romantic notion that LeBron would never abandon the NBA because he cheered for it growing up, but let's face it, he didn't have Warren Buffet on speed dial back then. These days, James has big picture aspirations such as becoming a global icon as well as the world's first billionaire athlete.

If he can bank $100 million in two years while playing on an international stage and still return to the NBA as a 27-year-old free agent in the summer of 2012, well, why wouldn't he go? He'd still be in the prime of his career with plenty of time to achieve all of his NBA goals upon returning, and who knows, by leaving, he might freak out the NBA so much that it eliminates the salary cap. The more I think about it, the more this makes sense. All we need now is a European billionaire to step up in 2010.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

8-05-2008 @ 10:57PM

Wade said...

Maybe to Greece, but Moscow? I'm going to bet that doesn't happen for less than $100 million.

8-05-2008 @ 11:13PM

amazo said...

i thought tiger woods is, or is very close to becoming the world's first billionaire athlete.

8-06-2008 @ 4:59AM

RALLOINC said...

TIGER IS SCHEDULED TO BECOME THE FIRST BILLIONAIRE IN 2011 SO JAMES NEEDS TO HURRY TO BEAT THAT.

8-05-2008 @ 11:55PM

hootie_69 said...

TAX FREE + paid expenses. Watson forgot to mention that any Euro contract would likely be tax free because thats how the big boys roll over there.

I don't see salary cap elimination happening in any situation, big giant loopholes are a definite possibility though.

8-05-2008 @ 11:58PM

terry said...

the world's first billionaire athlete.

Hello,Tiger

8-06-2008 @ 12:01AM

giff said...

is anyone really surprised? Lebronze has never been really about the game, his self stated highest goal is to be a billionaire...he rarely mentions championships or any kind of legacy in the game...it's just a means to more and more money...and Cavs fans are deluding themselves to think he will be "loyal" to Cleveland...he's loyal to one thing only....and it starts with a "d" for dollars...

9-05-2008 @ 8:20PM

LbJfan23 said...

For one thing "giff" you obviously know nothing about LeBron. I am an Ohio native. We do not think LeBron will always be loyal to Cleveland. We all know we wants that championship ring. He isnt the only guy who wants to be paid for being great- look at MJ or Kobe. i wont be suprised if he does go overseas, but it would be STUPID because its 2less years he could be a champion, but hey, we are not professionals.

8-07-2008 @ 10:24AM

Rae said...

Your comments are so on the mark. I live in northeast Ohio and watched LeBron play in high school. I've always said that he'd leave the Cavs for $$$$$...only I thought it would be NY since he is usually wearing a Yankee's cap. He's just another NBA prima LeBrona.

8-06-2008 @ 12:04AM

3

Greece maybe but Russia would not be tax free..Putin would get his one way or another

8-06-2008 @ 6:28AM

Russia has way more territory in Asia than it does in Europe. Ill put Russia in the Asian column.

/Sarcasm

8-06-2008 @ 12:24AM

kid from the lower east side of manhattan said...

who really cares about championships money,money money the old timers would have done it but there just wasn't any money back then ask Yogi Berra with all them championships, he would trade sone of them in for some cash

8-06-2008 @ 1:13AM

Sam said...

Wow. What a greedy jerk. Way ta be, LeBron! Ayn Rand would be proud.

8-06-2008 @ 9:33AM

ShawninDC said...

James will only do this if there is a marketing angle to be gained. Meaning Nike or Sprite starts pushing for this. Otherwise it doesn't make sense in the long term. The NBA doesn't make a big deal about records and such but I'm sure James has at least some desire to be one of the top scorers of all time. It makes him more marketable in the long term. Playing overseas will jeopardize his chances even if he does come back to play in the NBA.

But I doubt that he would even consider this if the US economy weren't in the crapper. I guess we can blame the national debt, the housing crisis and inflation to a certain degree.

8-06-2008 @ 11:19AM

Ken said...

Please don't compare LeBron to Tiger, no matter how much LeBron makes he is no where close to being as good as Tiger is. Tiger has won 14 majors, over 25% of the events he has entered, lead the tour in every important satistic just about every year. Also Tiger won a US Open with a bad knee and broken leg, LeBron wouldn't even get out of bed with those conditions. For that matter Michael Jordan played over half his NBA career with no knee cartalidge and still won 6 rings and never once wanted to be the highest paid player, and only cared about winning champiohships! LeBron is going to be known for wasting his talent although his team management has not done a very good job providing him a good supporting cast. LeBron has plenty of money and I don't think he will ever go broke so he should just concentrate on winning NBA rings. I think this whole EuroTrash talk is to get the NBA to raise the salary cap or get rid of it.

8-06-2008 @ 6:02PM

wabichiii said...

Let him take colby with him.

8-06-2008 @ 11:43AM

R Burke said...

I lost respect for him when he said he wanted to become the richest person in the world.

8-06-2008 @ 12:32PM

Aaron said...

I would totally lose all respect for LaBron if he were to abandon the US and play overseas. When is tens of millions just not enough to do something that you enjoyed doing for free as a kid? For love of country and love of sport, he should stay in the US where the game was invented and where he represented the US in the Olympic games! I hope that if he decides to go overseas to play that he rolls his ankle so bad he can never play again or that he gets banned from ever returning to the NBA!!! Shame on greed!!!

8-06-2008 @ 1:36PM

richard e. said...

The children of northern Ohio would benefit more from Mr. James staying in that area and becoming a icon from that area. Mr. James has more money that is needed to have a wonderful life. He should think more about giving back to the the children now so it will benefit them and himself for years to come.

8-06-2008 @ 2:17PM

mike said...

Come on now him going over there is just plain GREED! Does he really need $50 million more? That man already has enough money for his kids kids. This is way i don't watch the NBA there nothing , but WAY over paied babys who can't even stay out of jail long enough to spend there money and the NFL is right behind them!