Late Tuesday night the Miami Heat briefly posted a link to a scheduled livestream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” on the franchise’s YouTube channel, timestamped for July 27. The post was later deleted amid widespread attention over where LeBron James might sign.
A Heat spokesperson told ESPN’s Shams Charania the team had prepared the asset in case James signed with Miami and that the post was uploaded to the franchise channel by mistake, according to the report.
Other organizations seized the opportunity for lighthearted jabs. On Wednesday morning the Winnipeg Jets created a live YouTube post using the same title, including a tag indicating the stream would go live at 12:23 p.m. local time on July 27. The Jets’ thumbnail showed James in a Jets jersey with the caption “LePress Conference” and the message: “Note to self: Don’t upload this yet!”
Fans in the Jets’ live chat reacted with comments such as “LeWinnipegJets” and “LeHockey.” The Philadelphia Police Department also posted a mock news conference in response to the Heat’s early listing.
James is entering his 24th season and is an unrestricted free agent for the first time since signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. According to the report, teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Heat are believed to be among the front-runners to land the 41-year-old, with the Golden State Warriors also emerging as a potential landing spot.
