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LeBron to Sacramento? Billboards in city are trying to bring James to the Kings

You can add Sacramento to the list of cities using billboards to attract LeBron James, who could become a free agent on Friday.

You can add Sacramento to the list of cities using billboards to attract NBA superstar LeBron James, who could become a free agent on Friday.

Rotating billboards that read "#KINGSJAMES" with a gold crown on a purple background have been seen along Highway 99 and Highway 50 in Sacramento. People who have seen them have taken to social media to share their reaction with the earliest photo of the billboard being posted to Twitter on June 22.

Credit: ABC10
You can add Sacramento to the list of cities using billboards to attract LeBron James, who could become a free agent on Friday.

The person responsible for the billboards and how much the individual or group paid for the advertisement might remain a mystery. OUTFRONT Media, which manages the billboard, could not be immediately reached for comment.

While the reality of James joining the Kings is a long shot, the King does have one big tie to Sacramento. On October 29, 2003, an 18-year-old James stepped onto the floor at what was known then as Arco Arena to make his NBA debut in Sacramento.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft finished with 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in 42 minutes of play against the Kings. In January 2017, James made his first visit to the Kings' new home, Golden 1 Center, and reminisced on his NBA debut in an Instagram video.

"It's crazy how time flies. For me to walk out on that floor in their old arena, which was Arco Arena at the time, as an 18-year-old kid it was like a dream come true," James said in the video shot in his Sacramento hotel room.

Sacramento isn't the only city trying to lure the three-time NBA champion. Billboards have popped up in Philadelphia, New York, Portland, Los Angeles, and in James's hometown of Akron, Ohio, in an effort to sway James's decision.

James has until Friday to decide if he wants to remain with the Cavaliers. He could take his talents to another team as a free agent come July 1. The four-time NBA MVP has until Friday to decide if he wants to opt into another year in Cleveland where he would earn $35.6 million.

It's been less than a month since the James and the Cavaliers watched the Warriors celebrate their second straight NBA Championship on the court at Quicken Loans Arena. After being swept by Golden State, many wondered if Game 4 would be the last time James suits up for the Cavaliers. The 33-year-old is coming off his ninth straight NBA Finals appearance and going into this 15th season in the league.

Should James leave Cleveland, the landscape of the NBA will change dramatically. As NBA fans prepare for the free agent frenzy, the creative courting of players is at its peak. While some Kings fans with money to blow might be the ones responsible for the #KINGSJAMES billboards, any hope that James would consider Sacramento as his next landing spot might be blocked by James come Friday.

Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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