Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was spotted in Saudi Arabia this week, having joked back in July that he would run to the Middle East after catching wind of the money offered to Kylian Mbappe.
The young Frenchman, who helped lead France to World Cup victory and fired them to the 2023 final, was offered a mind-blowing $776 million to play for Saudi club Al Hilal for a single year.
While LeBron is one of the highest earners in the NBA, $776 million a year dwarfs the most lucrative salaries in the league.
Mbappe, who had his heart set on Real Madrid, rejected the offer. But maybe LBJ was not really joking as he’s been seen in The Kingdom this week as he’s in the capital of Riyadh. The Lakers star was recorded on foot over there, while a photo also shows him in a gymnasium with banners reading “Welcome to Arabia” and “Ministry of Sport.”
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According to TMZ, who cites a report, the four-time NBA champion was invited to the AZM Academy over there to watch a match between Saudi prospects.
The lure of the Middle East is no joke. Saudi clubs have managed to snag both Neymar and Cristiano while Lionel Messi would have likely joined one of their teams had his wife not objected.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has also told TMZ he’s open to playing there if the money is satisfactory.
