“He Appealed to their Friendship”: How Jay-Z Tried to Bring LeBron James to Brooklyn Nets in 2010

When LeBron James entered free agency in 2010, Brooklyn Nets part-owner Jay-Z tried to bring the superstar to his team.

It was a time when Mikhail Prokhorov had just become the principal owner of the team and they were shifting to Brooklyn. The Nets were looking to build a strong team under their new and richer owner. Also, the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh were free agents.

By then, James was a two-time MVP. He was fresh from winning those awards and had proved his worth as a player.  In an attempt to make a big splash, the Nets included Jay-Z in their recruitment meeting who tried to lure players in by suggesting opportunities for them in entertainment.

Avery Johnson, who was the new Nets coach then, said how exciting it was to have the Grammy award-winning hip hop artist. And to add to it, Jay-Z also knew James personally.

“It was a circus show,” Johnson said, via ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “We were very excited. But in all honesty, we weren’t ready as an organization. And we were playing in Newark for the next two years — not New York. But Jay-Z really gave a great pitch. He appealed to their friendship and sold New York.”

Jay-Z didn’t stop there. He went the extra mile in trying to bring in LeBron James. After the meeting came to an end, he, according to the reports, had a 15-minute private meeting with James.

LeBron James eventually joined Miami Heat

What happened after that is history. James did not join the Nets but went on to be a part of one of the greatest big threes in the NBA. He appeared on a special TV show, The Decision, to announce his decision. A decision that did not sit well with the Cleveland fans at that time.

Miami Heat recruited James and Bosh to team up with Wade. Together, they won two consecutive Championships in 2012 and 2013. James later rejoined the Cavaliers to lead the franchise to its first NBA title. James is currently playing for Los Angeles Lakers, looking for his fourth NBA title.