Fans react as the star Lakers assemble investors for the new bold basketball league to compete with the NBA

epfpmoran September 25, 2025 0
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Lakers star LeBron James plans to create a basketball league, which could compete with the NBA. Reports have surfaced that James and businessman Maverick Carter constitute a group of investors for a new league, which they plan to launch in 2026.

On a clip of the podcast “The Hoop Collective” shared by the Podcasts ESPN on X Wednesday, the initiates of the NBA Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon discussed the idea of ​​James.

“They plan a certain group of investors, a classic company, to create a league which would also compete with the NBA”, ” Windhorst said. “They don't want it to be an American league, they want it to have a European flavor, so to speak.”

X fans have mixed reactions to the news.

“LeBron wants this Saudi money,” tweeted a fan.

@Thedunkcentral @windhorststststspn @PESSPodcasts LeBron wants this Saudi money

“Bron to Adam Silver 😭😭😭 😭😭😭 😭😭😭”, posted another fan.

@TheDunkCentral @windhorststsstSpn @PESSPODCASTS Why would he go against the company that did it?

Others praised the news, saying that a whole new league could be interesting. Meanwhile, some fans hypothesized that it was the preparation of LeBron James to retire.

@TheDunkCentral @windhorststSpn @PESSPODCASTS is what sport needs. More leagues outside the NBA to increase the skills gap. We are tired that America is the only country with the best players

@TheDunkCentral @windhorststspn @PESSPODCASTS then he will not compete with the NBA LMAO, it would be a good secondary league to look at….

@TheDunkCentral @windhorststsstSpn @PESSPODCASTS TRYNA become owner of the NBA by starting your own league and in fusion 'in the NBA.

A Bloomberg report earlier this year said that Carter was the advisor to a group of investors trying to raise $ 5 billion to form a new league. According to Reuters, investors include the Sovereign Heritage Fund for Saudi Arabia, the Singaporean government and a Macao casino operator.

LeBron James and his trading partner met with a better European agent

Speculations on a new basketball league were fed in July while LeBron James and the long-standing trading partner Maverick Carter have met a higher agent. Misko Raznatovic, described by Eurohoops as the largest agent in Europe, had a meeting with James and Carter in France.

Raznatovic, who is also the European agent of Denver Nuggets Superstar Nikola Jokicshared some photos on Instagram on July 26 and wrote:

“Summer 2025 is the perfect time to make major projects for the fall of 2026!”

Before his 23rd NBA season in 2025-26, James' future also created a buzz. The top scorer of all time in the NBA did not directly address retirement rumors, which prompted many fans to speculate that next season could be the last.