NBA franchise mistakenly posts 'introductory' video for LeBron James
The Miami Heat have admitted human error was behind a YouTube post announcing a LeBron James introductory press conference, despite the four-time NBA champion not yet deciding where he will play next season.
In a statement to ESPN, the Heat said their social media team had been preparing for the possibility of signing James when they mistakenly published the link.
The post, which advertised a live stream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference scheduled for July 27″, was quickly deleted, but not before fans noticed it and screenshots spread across social media.
The Heat insisted there was no truth to the video, saying it was common practice for teams to prepare content for potential signings. However, they accidentally made theirs public.
Last month, James announced he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years, in which he led them to the 2020 NBA title.
The 41-year-old spent four seasons with Miami from 2010 to 2014, winning two NBA titles and reaching four consecutive finals.
The Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors are reportedly among the teams he is considering for what would be his 24th NBA season.
Earlier this week, James’ agent, Rich Paul, said the veteran was “not going to be rushed” into making a decision.
While the Heat described the incident as an honest mistake, rival teams and fans were quick to make light of it.
The Winnipeg Jets joined in the fun, posting their own mock James introductory press conference with the caption: “Note to self: Don’t upload this yet!”
James enters free agency after averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season.
He remains the NBA’s all-time leader in games played (1622) and points scored (43,440).
Miami still have at least two roster spots to fill after the addition of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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