LeBron James' Partner Involved in New League Aiming for NBA Stars

Project B, a new global basketball league, is now turning its attention to the men's competition, having already secured several top female players. Maverick Carter, LeBron James' long-time friend and business partner, is involved in the project as an advisor.

Grady Burnett, a co-founder of Project B, recently revealed to The Athletic that the new league, set to launch next autumn, aims to "extend the careers of well-known players." Burnett confirmed Carter's return to the project to oversee James' daily business operations. However, a spokesperson for Carter, while confirming his friendship and advisory role to Burnett, stated that Carter does not hold any formal position within the new league.

Project B also boasts the collaboration of European NBA agent Misko Raznatovic, who represents Nikola Jokic and several other European players. Raznatovic and Carter appeared in a viral Instagram post this summer, aboard a boat with LeBron James, where they reportedly discussed the new competition, according to The Athletic.

The new organization first launched its women's league, attracting WNBA stars like Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, Jewell Loyd, and Sophie Cunningham with lucrative salaries. The plan is for the competition to take place in seven cities across Asia, Europe, and South America, between November 2026 and April 2027, with games streamed on YouTube.

Burnett explained that the model for the men's league will be similar, with the goal of recruiting players from the NBA and Europe. "We have a plan that we followed on the women's side that brought us these top players," he stated. "We are applying the same plan on the men's side, which focuses on developing the best young talent in the world and extending the careers of well-known players."

When asked about the possibility of directly competing with the NBA for players, Burnett did not dismiss the idea. The men's league will run concurrently with the NBA season, forcing players to choose between the two — unlike the WNBA, NBA players are prohibited from signing and playing for any other league.

Players will receive an equity stake in the league, mirroring the women's competition. Burnett added that no male players have been signed yet, nor have direct approaches been made, with announcements expected over the summer.

Regarding a potential participation from LeBron James, who at 41 will be a free agent at the end of the current NBA season, Burnett remained noncommittal: "We haven't had those conversations yet. We are focused, as I said, on building the foundations; we will have those conversations with the right players at the right time." Thus, the Los Angeles Lakers star's future in the NBA remains uncertain.