Will LeBron James Be There for Close Friend Carmelo Anthony’s HOF Induction After Missing D Wade’s Statue Unveiling?

If we’re talking about some of the best NBA draft classes, it goes without saying that the players who entered the league in 2003 need to be mentioned. This class featured some of the best players the league has ever seen: Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Yes, LeBron and Carmelo were the first and third picks in the 2003 NBA draft, respectively.

Throughout their careers, both icons played against each other several times, with James holding the edge against his long-time rival. However, things changed during the 2021-22 season. This was the season when, after years of going up against each other, both superstars were finally teammates at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Even though both already had massive respect for each other, through their time together in the national camp, it was this one season that brought Melo and James together, after which a friendship developed that goes beyond the basketball court. That’s why when Melo was inducted into the Hall of Fame, James was one of the first people to congratulate the former Nuggets star.

“WELL DESERVING, MY BROTHER!!!!!” LeBron wrote on X. “SO DAMN HAPPY AND PROUD OF YOU CHAMP!!” So, now that tonight is the night when Melo will finally receive his long-awaited honor, it’s only right to expect that the Lakers superstar will be in attendance to cheer him. But, given that the Akron native has a knack for missing out on events, will he actually be there?

Will LeBron James be present at Carmelo Anthony’s HOF induction?

LeBron James has long built a reputation around the league, not always in the way fans might expect. The 40-year-old forward, widely respected as one of the most supportive teammates in NBA history, has occasionally drawn attention for missing high-profile events. However, he made sure to be present this time. At Luka Doncic’s contract extension presser, where head coach JJ Redick and GM Rob Pelinka were in attendance, James was nowhere to be seen. Although he did later FaceTime the Slovenian point guard.

This isn’t the first time James has made a point of showing up for a friend. While he has missed events in the past, like Dwyane Wade’s Hall of Fame induction, he didn’t want to miss this moment. Tonight, the Lakers superstar was on hand to honor one of his oldest friends and fiercest competitors, Carmelo Anthony, as he received one of basketball’s highest honors: a Hall of Fame induction. James’s presence highlighted the depth of their friendship and his respect for a career spent at the very top of the game.

Mar 5, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) high-fives forward LeBron James (6) after Anthony made a three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers won 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

That’s because, while James did post a video from the NBA’s official account, where Kiyan Anthony is seen putting the Hall of Famer jacket on his father, the stories after that show him enjoying a great time golfing with some of his friends, at a rather unknown location. By the looks of it, James is golfing with David Creech and a few others. This might be an indication that the veteran forward won’t be present at tonight’s ceremony, set to be held in Springfield, Massachusetts.

However, you never know, even though James is golfing right now, he might pull up at the event later in the evening after all. While we all know that the four-time NBA champion did miss Dwyane Wade’s statue unveiling, do you know the reason behind it? Probably not, right? Well, there’s an interesting story behind the twenty-one-time NBA All-Star missing what can only be explained as a once-in-a-lifetime moment for one of his closest friends.

Everyone is aware of the close-knit relationship that LeBron James shares with his former teammate and Miami Heat legend, Dwyane Wade. So, when the 40-year-old missed what was supposed to be one of, if not the greatest, celebrations of Wade’s legacy, it raised a lot of eyebrows. However, it was the timing of that unveiling that made it impossible for James. For those of you who are unaware, D Wade’s statue unveiling was supposed to take place on 27th October, 2024.

This collided with the James and Lakers’ regular-season schedule. That’s because the following night, the Purple & Gold were supposed to hit the road to face the Phoenix Suns. As you could expect, this made things pretty difficult for LeBron, who was left with no choice but to miss the statue unveiling. However, even though he couldn’t be there for Dwyane Wade, he did make sure to give him a shoutout through social media, as James posted a story to congratulate his friend on his massive achievement.

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