Security concerns reportedly stopped LeBron James from attending the Adidas Uprising Summer Championships game between LaMelo Ball’s Big Baller Brand and Zion Williamson’s SC Supreme in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
According to ESPN, James planned to watch the game courtside, but changed his mind after seeing how many people were attending the event:
“LeBron James had planned to watch the Ball-Williamson showdown courtside, but he did not get out of his vehicle after he arrived, instead deciding to avoid the frenzy after a conversation with people associated with the Adidas Uprising Summer Championships, a source told ESPN.com.
James arrived with several people before choosing to skip an event that already had been dealing with overcrowding and local police threatening to shut it down, per the source.
“Many of the players who may be expected to go without pay in 2021 have none to save now because they’re currently playing in college or high school. So they will have saved little or nothing, or otherwise may have nothing, if/when a strike happens. Still, plenty of guys presently in the NFL will still be in the NFL in four years, and if as many of them as possible have enough money to go a year without playing, the players have a chance of winning.
“It’s nevertheless a small chance, in part because the league would likely hire replacement players and continue to stage games, like the league did in 1987. And as the games go on and players who want to play are tempted to return and get paid to play football, it can all fall apart. Like 1987.”
Florio goes on to suggest a way players could fight now, instead of later: by boycotting the voluntary part of offseason programs, April through June, in the years leading up to 2021.
So if the union has its four-word rallying cry, then NFL fans might be wise to have one, too: Buckle your seat belts.