Court Jester: LeBron James To Appear In Comedy

[duncan228]

Court jester: LeBron James to appear in comedy (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebron-comedy&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Tom Withers

LeBron James is leaving Cleveland—for Hollywood.

The Cavaliers superstar and reigning NBA MVP will make his feature film debut by playing himself in an upcoming comedy.

James will appear in “Fantasy Basketball Camp” by Universal Pictures. The movie is about five guys from different backgrounds who come to Las Vegas to live out their fantasy by attending James’ basketball camp. Production will begin next summer, when James can become a free agent.

James is experienced in front of the camera. In addition to appearing in numerous TV commercials, he has hosted “Saturday Night Live.”

Producer Brian Grazer is convinced the All-Star forward can make the transition to the big screen, as rapper Eminem did in “8 Mile.” Grazer also produced that picture.

“I initially sought LeBron out because my 8-year-old son, Thomas, and I were just dying to meet him,” Grazer said. “But I felt that beyond being one of the world’s great superstar athletes, here was someone so relaxed and comfortable with himself that he would have the capability to be that way on screen. Later, when I watched him host ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and saw his advertising work, it was clear he can do this.”

James will be an executive producer on the project along with his business manager, Maverick Carter.

This summer, James has been promoting “More Than a Game,” a documentary which chronicles how he and four childhood friends achieved their dream of winning a high school national championship. The film opens Oct. 2.

[BlackBellamy]

James to the Clippers, book it.

[lefty]

So it's gonna be a movie about the Cavaliers training camp ?

[23LeBronJames23]

That really is the best choice for LeBron. I would pick either the Nets or LAC for LeBron to play. I do think that if he signs with the Knicks it will still take a year or two for the team to be contenders, but if he goes to New Jersey or the Clippers that have good talent right now.

Also the Clippers should change their name to something like "The Hollywood Stars."

if LeBron goin to LA then the west teams would always win Finals, West All stars will always win

[duncan228]

LeBron James, movie star (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/LeBron-James-movie-star;_ylt=Apb51zR00nmVaYWDSm5XUW.8vLYF?urn=nba,190 376)
By J.E. Skeets
Ball Don't Lie

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj1.jpg

LeBron James is going Hollywood!

Oh, sit down, Laker fans. He's not joining your stacked championship team. Not yet, at least.

No, the Cavaliers star is set to make his acting debut in a comedy film about, well, basketball — playing himself, according to Daily Variety (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008738.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1) and every other site on the Internet. (Note: LeBron's pretty good at playing LeBron (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Sneak-peek-LeBron-James-More-Than-A-Game-the?urn=nba,157485). He really brings himself to life.)

The plot of the movie, titled "Fantasy Basketball Camp," sees five guys — a wolf pack (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3854141952/tt1119646), if you will — travel to Las Vegas to participate in an adult basketball camp run by LeBron. After some dribbling drills, the guys convince the reigning MVP to attend their bachelor party, where LeBron gets drunk, marries a stripper, dunks on a tiger in the bathroom— wait, I'm confusing movies. Sorry. A tiger dunks on LeBron, Nike shows up, tapes are confiscated, blah, blah, blah. It's your typical whodunit and will begin production next summer.

No word yet on who his co-stars will be, but big shot producer Brian Grazer, who came up with the concept after meetings with James, is convinced the All-Star forward can make the transition to the big screen. And how can you blame him, what with LeBron's impressive run of straight-to-DVD smash hits?

Oh, you didn't know LeBron was already the Dan Heller (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0194342/) of our generation? Yeah, I checked his IMdB page — he's starred in a lot of movies. Most of them were pretty big in Europe, too. (So are those glasses.)

Take a look.

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj2.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj3.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj4.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj5.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj6.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x282/duncan228/temp/lbj7.jpg

[z0sa]

^lol

[angel_luv]

V-bookie on whether or not Lebron's film will bring in more money than Kazaam?

:)

[duncan228]

Fans camp out for James’ book signing (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-lebron-booksigning&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Tom Withers

Ideally, Cleveland fans want LeBron James to sign a contract extension.

Until then, they’ll settle for an autographed copy of his new book.

Dozens of fans spent the night outside an area bookstore for the chance to meet the Cavaliers’ superstar, who can become a free agent next summer.

“Slept in that chair right there,” Joe Straubhaar of Brook Park said Friday, pointing to his overnight accommodations. “I hope it was worth it.”

Straubhaar arrived at Borders Books on Thursday afternoon with his wife, Nichole, and good friend, Scott Nagy. The trio of Cavs fans were the first in line to get wristbands assuring them of two signed copies of James’ book, “Shooting Stars,” the story of his rise as a hoops prodigy in Akron.

The book is co-authored by Buzz Bissinger, who wrote “Friday Night Lights,” regarded as one of the finest sports books ever published.

By mid-afternoon Friday, the store had given away almost all of the 600 wristbands to see James, who has been on a worldwide promotional tour for the book as well as the documentary, “More Than a Game.”

As they waited for James, fans sat on the sun-baked sidewalk and talked about his approaching free agency; the addition of All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal to the Cavaliers’ roster; and whether next season may be the one when a Cleveland team finally ends the city’s championship drought.

Like most Clevelanders, Nagy, sporting one of James’ No. 23 jerseys, is hoping the reigning NBA MVP will stay with the Cavaliers for years. He is only signed through next season.

“His mom was on TV the other day and said he wasn’t leaving,” Nagy said. “They say he listens to his mom. Hopefully with Shaq here he won’t want to leave.”

Cleveland fans are used to having their hearts broken, which is why some believe James is as good as gone.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he left,” said Nichole Straubhaar, wearing a gray hooded “WITNESS” sweatshirt. “That would be so Cleveland. Just when something good starts to happen, something bad usually pops up. I want to believe that he’ll stay, but seeing him go would be fitting around here.”

James has not given any indication he’ll leave, a fact he continually points out in interviews. But he has yet to sign an extension offered made by the Cavaliers in July, which has made some of his biggest supporters nervous.

“I don’t think he knows what he wants to do,” Joe Straubhaar said.

James’ popularity has never been greater. He’s an A-list celebrity on a worldwide scale. But it all began in Ohio, where sports stars have always been given a unique reverence.

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn grew up a Cleveland sports fan and can relate to the passion directed at James.

“It’s almost a religion,” Quinn said. “I think people appreciate not only the entertainment of it, but everything else he has put into it. LeBron has worked incredibly hard to get to where he’s at. It’s not just that he’s just an incredibly gifted athlete, but he has worked to perfect his craft and people see that, which is why they’re so crazy about him.”

They’re crazy about Quinn, too, though not yet at James’ level. When it’s time for James to decide on his future, that fan loyalty might be something he strongly considers before making a move.

“I hope so,” Quinn said. “He has created a legacy here, and it has started with those fans, all the support they have given him.”

Nagy was excited about getting a book signed for his 12-year-old son, Brandon. He was also trying to figure out to say when he meets James.

“I guess,” he said. “Don’t leave Cleveland, right?”

[duncan228]

LeBron To Fans: 'I Ain't Leaving'

LeBron James signed copies of his new book, "Shooting Stars" for fans in Cleveland on Friday.

Fans begged James to sign a contract extension with the Cavaliers, and one fan actually got the star to pledge his allegiance to the city.

"Don't leave us, man," one fan said as James autographed a copy of his book.

"I ain't leaving," James replied with a smile.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4484217

[iggypop123]

^ looks like he has the comedic touch already