‘They Got Basketball Leagues Too, Right?’ LeBron and Other NBA Stars Joke About Taking Saudi Money After News of Soccer Star Kylian Mbappe’s $776M Offer

By Ahmad AustinJul 25th, 2023, 10:34 am
 
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo

Ron Schwane/AP

The sports world was stunned Monday by the news that Saudia Arabian soccer club Al-Hilal offered nearly $800 million to French soccer star Kylian Mbappe for just one season.

In fact, the offer was so staggering that it had other athletes rethinking their career paths.

Several top NBA players, including LeBron James, have jokingly expressed interest in putting an end to their illustrious domestic careers if Saudia Arabia called.

It started with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who got the idea to simply swap places with Mbappe due to the vague resemblance between the two.

“Al Hilal you can take me,” Antetokounmpo tweeted with a selfie. “I look like Kylian Mbappe.”

Hours later, James implied that if Rich Paul and Maverick Carter — his friends and business partners — received an offer from Saudi Arabia, he’d leave the U.S. right away.

“Me headed to Saudi when they call @RichPaul4 & @mavcarter for that 1-year deal!” James tweeted with a clip of fictional character Forrest Gump running.

Even Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who recently signed a four-year deal worth $100 million, couldn’t help but consider also making the move to the Middle East.

“They got basketball leagues too, right?” Green said. “I don’t the ink on my contract has dried up yet.”

While everything was said in jest, the idea of Saudi Arabia investing heavily in basketball can’t be ruled out at this point. The Public Investment Fund — operators of LIV Golf — managed to secure a principle agreement with the PGA Tour; and the country has hosted a number of high-profile fights in the world of combat sports.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com

Filed Under: