ESPN docuseries reveals new details from LeBron James’ ‘The Decision’ 10 years later
LeBron James’ ”The Decision” show produced one of the most memorable moments in South Florida sports history. In other parts of the country, it was a moment some would like to forget.
But one thing is for sure: A lot of people were tuned in to the one-hour live special aired on ESPN to watch James announce he was leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. “The Decision” remains the most-watched studio show in ESPN history with nearly 10 million viewers.
The behind-the-scenes developments that led to “The Decision,” the fallout from the show and its legacy are all examined in a new episode of “Backstory,” an ESPN documentary series featuring the investigative reporting of three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and former Miami Herald reporter Don Van Natta Jr.
“Backstory: The Decision” premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. on ESPN, ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the July 8, 2010, airing of James’ free agent decision to take his talents to South Beach.
After its initial airing Sunday, the program will re-air at 11 p.m. on ESPN2 and will be available for on-demand viewing on the ESPN App. It will eventually be available to stream on ESPN+.
The Miami Herald was provided an advance screening of the show, which ESPN said is still being completed. Here are some of the details on “The Decision” Van Natta uncovered that were revealed in the one-hour program ...
▪ Where did the original idea for “The Decision” come from?
Apparently a reader named Drew from Columbus, Ohio, pitched the idea in Bill Simmons’ mailbag column in November 2009.
Simmons then urged ESPN executives during NBA All-Star Weekend in 2010 to produce an announcement show called “LeBron’s Decision.” Simmons went on to pitch the concept to James’ business partner and close friend Maverick Carter and then-agent Leon Rose.
The idea gained momentum during Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals in Los Angeles when Jim Gray, who went on to host “The Decision,” told Carter that James should announce his decision live on network television. Carter sold James on the concept and entertainment and media agent Ari Emanuel pitched it to former ESPN president John Skipper, who was ESPN’s head of content at that time.
“I do remember the first decision I made was we wanted this on ESPN,” Skipper said in an interview with Van Natta during the episode.
Carter and Emanuel asked for ESPN to give them one-hour of free network time for “The Decision.” The agreement was James would donate the proceeds from sponsors, which resulted in more than $2 million going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
“I think I decided pretty quickly I was OK donating the hour,” Skipper said. “I thought this would get enough attention and it would be worthwhile for viewers. I didn’t mind losing the ad time. Part of this would be a charitable contribution. ... At the end of the day, the rationale was it’s what we had to do to get the show. And I felt that getting the show, having LeBron announce on our air, the rating we would get, the attention we would get would be good for our business.”
▪ During his reporting for the episode, Van Natta said he was told Rose and James’ advisor William Wesley “had second thoughts and expressed concerns to some that [’The Decision’] had the potential to backfire.”
In addition, Van Natta said then-NBA commissioner David Stern “believed ESPN was handing over far too much control” to James in donating one-hour of network time.
“Stern was livid,” Van Natta said. “He demanded that Skipper cancel the show.”
But that obviously did not happen.
▪ James and Carter picked Gray to host “The Decision.” But Van Natta said ESPN wanted Bob Ley or Stuart Scott to take on that role instead. In the end, Gray served as the host.
▪ Van Natta said James arrived at the Boys & Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, where “The Decision” was held, just 15 minutes before the start of the show following a buffet dinner with Kanye West.
“The Decision” began at 9 p.m. and James did not reveal the Heat as his choice until 9:28 p.m. Gray prolonged the suspense with various questions to James.
“I don’t think Jim was meandering,” former ESPN executive Keith Clinkscales said in the episode. “I think he was trying to make sure the comfort was there, and that LeBron felt comfortable to go ahead and say what he had to say.”
But Skipper said, “We clearly had the agenda to hold the audience. There’s a reason they announce the Best Picture Oscar at the end because they want the audience to stay and watch it.”
▪ Right after announcing his decision to join the Heat, James and his group boarded a private plane to head to Miami.
With James facing immediate backlash from Cleveland Cavaliers fans and NBA fans across the country, then-ESPN NBA reporter Chris Broussard said to Van Natta: “Someone on the plane told me it was somber on that plane. They said there was no partying. There were tears. They knew it would be negative, but the level to which it went just shocked them. To the point where other guys who were working to try to get LeBron to the Knicks, the Cavs obviously were still holding out hope, they were wondering if there might be a change of heart.”
▪ With James joining Wade and Bosh in Miami as The Big 3, the Heat immediately became the villains of the NBA.
“I think the biggest problem was putting together this team in an unnatural way, unnatural to the history of the NBA,” ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said. “There wasn’t a trade involved, there wasn’t a draft involved. There was just a guy saying, ‘Hey, let’s do this together.’”
▪ Of the legacy of “The Decision” for player empowerment, free agency and superteams in the NBA, Wilbon said: “Just knowing you can do it. Knowing you don’t have to sit back, this is not the era of the reserve clause. There’s no limit to what we can think about, consider, dream about and perhaps do as artists.”
▪ James and his inner circle of Carter, Rich Paul and Randy Mims declined to be interviews by Van Natta for the episode.
▪ Among others who speak in the “Backstory” episode: journalist and author Buzz Bissinger, former ESPN vice president and director of news Vince Doria, author Scott Raab, and ESPN commentator Bomani Jones. There is no mention of any Heat executives or players who were asked to be interviewed for the show.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 8:58 AM.
