LeBron James is mulling over a bid to become the President of the NBA players association, writes Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports, citing a source close to James. The Thunder's Derek Fisher served as the union's president until his term expired this summer. Whitlock opines that the veteran point guard, nearing the end of his career and still under fire from the union's former executive director, is unlikely to retain the position.
With Adam Silver set to step into the commissioner's office and the players union in search of a new executive director, Whitlock's source claims that James recognizes this as an opportunity for the union to implement much-needed change. However, the source also cautions that while it's possible, James' pursuit of the presidency is unlikely considering the time commitment the job requires, adding that he's more likely to influence the union in more of an informal role.
Jerry Stackhouse, the union's vice president, is currently leading the search for a new executive director and would presumably be involved in the process of naming a president, which could happen as early as late August according to Whitlock. Whitlock writes that, with James as president, the union could more effectively get star players to participate in league matters, in turn leading to additional clout in talks with owners. The union has not had a star player as president since Patrick Ewing, who held the position from 1997 to 2001, and has not had an "in-his-prime" president since Isiah Thomas.