As if Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James didn’t have enough on his plate in attempting to bring a championship to that downtrodden city.
According to multiple reports, James has been elected the vice president of the National Basketball Players Association and will be second in charge behind Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul.
Paul has reportedly been pushing for James to take on a leadership role in the union for months now—a push that culminated in James throwing his hat in the ring during a union meeting on Friday.
It remains to be seen exactly what James’ responsibilities will be, but considering he’s been an outspoken player regarding league issues, this could lead to him taking on the role in more than name only.
Yahoo Sports basketball insider Adrian Wojnarowski provided more details in regards to what this might mean for the Association moving forward.
The NBPA is working to reshape itself under new executive director Michele Roberts. For years, there’s been a push on the players’ side to get the league’s most prominent players into senior leadership positions. James’ elevation to first vice president is the most significant step yet in that process.
He also goes on to indicate that both the union and the NBA can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement in 2017, which could set into motion a work stoppage. James’ elevation to second in charge among players could play a major role in discussions between the two sides moving forward.
Photo: USA Today