LeBron James dreamed of being drafted by the New York Knicks before the 2003 NBA Draft, according to ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst. James ultimately went first overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but a clause in his original Nike contract reportedly reflected the possibility of landing in New York.
“There was this dream, and in fact, it was kind of LeBron’s dream too,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast. He explained that James’ Nike deal included a bonus of 20% or 30% if the Knicks selected him, with the agreement completed the night before the draft lottery.
Windhorst said the timing mattered because the parties wanted the contract finalized before the lottery. When New York received the No. 9 pick, there was an audible reaction in the room, he added, because people wanted James to end up with the Knicks.
New York ultimately selected Georgetown forward Michael Sweetney at No. 9, while Cleveland used the first overall pick on James, who entered the league directly from St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.
James’ rookie season in Cleveland began in 2003-04, when he averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 79 games. He won NBA Rookie of the Year and quickly became the centerpiece of the Cavaliers’ franchise.
The Knicks’ selection of Sweetney instead meant James never began his NBA career in New York. He spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland before joining the Miami Heat in 2010, returning to the Cavaliers in 2014 and signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
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More than two decades after entering the league, James is beginning another chapter. The 41-year-old signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in July on a two-year, $8 million contract, with a player option for the second season.
Philadelphia paired James with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown after acquiring him from Boston in an offseason trade. James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games for the Lakers in 2025-26 before making the move to the 76ers.
