ESPN Insider Reveals LeBron James Wanted To Start Career With Knicks

LeBron James' start to his 24th NBA season is only minutes away, the most in league history, and he is still producing at an elite level. He has been named an All-Star every season since 2005.

Despite the many teams LeBron has played for throughout his career, the Cleveland Cavaliers will always remain his most iconic team. However, it appears that the King nearly didn't begin his career with the Cavs back in 2003. NBA insider Brian Windhorst shared that LeBron wanted to play for the New York Knicks.

"There was this dream, and in fact, it was kind of LeBron's dream too," Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "Literally the night before he agreed to his Nike contract, and in the Nike contract he got like a 20 or 30% bonus if he had gone to New York. They agreed to that the night before the Lottery. That’s why it was so important to get it done before the lottery."

However, the Knicks ended up securing the ninth pick in the 2003 draft, which changed the narrative for LeBron.

“When the No. 9 was opened, there was an audible groan in the room because people wanted the Knicks,” Windhorst said.

Had New York won the first pick, it was more than likely that the young James would've ended up on the Knicks.

ESPN’s Alan Hahn added on the same episode that James “has always flirted with the idea of the Knicks for years.” That nearly happened this summer. James’ agent, Rich Paul, said in July that New York’s title run took the Knicks out of the picture. “If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board,” Paul said on his Game Over podcast. “He’d be going to the Knicks.”

Instead, James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

ESPN Insider Reveals LeBron James' Love for New York

While it's unlikely that we'll ever get to see LeBron James put on a New York Knicks uniform, especially at this stage of his career, it appears that he is a huge fan of The Big Apple.

According to several reports, LeBron didn’t leave New York behind. James lives in the city and takes a helicopter to Philadelphia for practices and home games.

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst revealed in a recent episode of The Hoops Collective Podcast that not only does James love NYC, but he also admires Madison Square Garden.

"LeBron has had 4 of his own ring nights of his own. And I know the Sixers won’t be out there on the court while the Knicks are accepting their rings and the banner goes up. But I wonder if LeBron would like to be out there just to feel the Garden," Windhorst said.

"He’s praised the Garden 100 times, and if you give him 100 more times, he would praise it 100 more times. He truly loves the Garden. I wonder if part of him wants to just stand out there as a fan of the game and as a fan of basketball," Windhorst concluded.

Having that in mind, it wouldn't be surprising if we caught James in attendance at one of the Knicks' games in the near future when he decides to call it quits from the NBA.

For now, fans can enjoy James' return to the Eastern Conference as he and the 76ers try to dethrone the defending champions, the Knicks, in the upcoming 2026-27 season.