Lakers’ LeBron James Appears to Be Competing With NBA for European League

The Los Angeles Lakers' superstar might be trying to start up a new basketball league overseas.

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves in for the dunk against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are focused on winning an NBA championship next season, but that might not be the only thing that LeBron James is up to this summer.

Rumors of an overseas league that rivals the NBA have been bubbling up for the last few years. The upstart league has been whispered about in NBA circles, and it seems James might be a part of that.

James and his business partner Maverick Carter are seen as two influential figures who are working behind the scenes to financially back the league.

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According to the Sports Business Journal, executives around the league believe James is helping Carter start the league, which has been rumored to be luring away top superstars to play in their league as opposed to the NBA.

This new league would be backed by the Saudi Investment Fund, similarly to how LIV Golf operates right now. One NBA executive believes James is certainly connected, even if he has tried to stay away from that notion publicly.

"I'll tell you, you may think I'm crazy, but I think the catalyst of this [NBA Europe] going quicker is they're worried LeBron and Maverick are going to get the Saudis and start like a league. I think without a question they [the NBA] think it's direct competition."

Asked why James would compete against his own NBA, the executive said, "LeBron doesn't vie a sh**. Not if Saudi gives LeBron $200 million in cash and calls it a night."

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James has been vocal about the fact that he would like to own an NBA team when he is finished playing. With expansion no longer looking like it's going to happen because of the NBA's focus on its European league, James might move to help start his own rival league.

There are rumors that this new upstart league could start play as soon as the 2026-27 season, but details have been slow to be revealed. There are still a lot of things that need to be ironed out.

James should be focusing more on winning another championship than he should about trying to rival the NBA in order to put more cash in his pocket.

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