TITLE: Report: Giannis Antetokounmpo Stayed Mostly Silent During LeBron James Free-Agency Pursuit
SLUG: giannis-antetokounmpo-low-profile-lebron-james-recruitment
CONTENT:
Giannis Antetokounmpo was largely absent from the wave of phone calls and text messages aimed at persuading LeBron James to switch teams, according to a report from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Siegel wrote that the two-time MVP “never really went out of his way” to court James during the recent free-agency period, even though the Miami Heat were repeatedly linked to the four-time MVP before he agreed to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
The level of direct contact between Antetokounmpo and James remains unclear, but it was described as far less aggressive than other recruitment efforts around the league. Philadelphia mounted a full-court press spearheaded by guard Tyrese Maxey, while Golden State’s Draymond Green also reached out in an attempt to lure James to the Warriors.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, James’s original NBA team, reportedly did not launch a major player-to-player campaign, with their long history together viewed as sufficient familiarity.
James ultimately chose the 76ers, forming a new core with Joel Embiid, Maxey and Jaylen Brown as Philadelphia pushes for another championship run.
Source: Hoops Wire
