LeBron James Is Reportedly Considering Bid for President of NBA Players' Union

LeBron James has a pair of NBA championship rings and four MVP trophies to his name. Now, he has his sights set on the NBA Players Association presidency.

Per Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports, sources indicate the reigning MVP has talked about the scenario with “a small group of people”:

"

It’s something he has talked about with a small group of people. He was very vocal at the meeting during the All-Star Weekend about the need for the union to dramatically change. There is a new executive director coming in and new commissioner. He recognizes that this is the time for the union to change.

"

Despite those factors, that same source doesn’t feel James will ultimately decide to throw his hat in the ring, citing the demands of the position as his biggest concerns:

"

LeBron doesn’t do anything halfway and he has serious concerns about whether he has the time he knows the job requires. The demands on LeBron’s time are already substantial. Whether it’s formally or informally, LeBron has strong opinions on the future of the union and will be very active in the rebuilding process.

"

James certainly has the experience to be a suitable candidate. He’s no longer a bright-eyed former high school phenom with superstar aspirations—James has lived in the spotlight as the league’s preeminent player for several years now.   

But as Whitlock noted, “in-his-prime” union presidents haven’t been common in the modern game. The Association’s past three presidents (Michael Curry, Antonio Davis and Derek Fisher), none of whom Whitlock believes had much pull with league ownership, have all held the position late in their respective careers.

Superstars have always been a huge part of professional basketball, but those marquee performers haven’t always welcomed hands-on roles in the Players Association. If James were president of the union, that would be much more likely to change.

James has never been hesitant to accept his role in the hierarchy of NBA superstars. He has embraced his stardom and used it to propel his career to new heights both on and off the court, and a move like this wouldn’t come as a huge surprise—regardless of who has recently held the post.