A new report says a Heat staffer’s pre-vacation prep caused the premature LeBron James press-conference link.
LeBron James, 41, was briefly tied to Miami on Tuesday, when the Heat’s official YouTube page flashed a July 27 livestream title.
The link disappeared within minutes.
“The Miami Heat’s official YouTube channel had LeBron’s introductory press conference scheduled for July 27 🤔”
The Heat quickly pushed back through a team spokesperson.
“mistake,” the Heat told UPI.
CBS Sports said the placeholder copy even welcomed him back.
“press conference for LeBron James, welcoming him back as a member of the Miami Heat”
Rich Paul had already told listeners not to expect a fast answer.
“We’re not going to be rushed. We’re not going to be rushed. It’s his choice to make, and when he makes the choice, he’ll make it,” Paul said.
He also shrugged off the noise as part of the process.
“It could be 48 seconds. It could be 48 minutes. I don’t know,” he added.
Today’s follow-up tied the gaffe to one communications worker.
“Which is why the saga of the poor Heat staffer — who sources told ESPN had scheduled vacation for this week and was trying to get ahead of work that could come up if James indeed chose the Heat — was so amusing to Paul and the small group of people James confided in during his process,” Shelburne wrote.
That matched the team’s explanation that it had prepared in case James signed.
“there is currently no validity to the video,” the Heat spokesperson said.
In the viral moment, the Heat’s YouTube channel briefly surfaced a scheduled live stream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27.”
The screenshot raced across X before the team yanked the link.
The thumbnail used a Dwyane Wade graphic, which only made the whole thing look more real.
James is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers for next season.