Upon further review, it appears the hat LeBron James was wearing while golfing in Cleveland last week doesn’t mean he’s destined to return to the Cavaliers for a third stint.
Who would’ve thought?
The speculation began during the holiday week when James was spotted working out at Cleveland’s facility. It escalated when he posted a video of himself golfing in the Cleveland area while wearing a hat with the description, “Welcome home.”
Welcome home? Did this mean LeBron is eyeing a trade the Cavaliers to finish out his Hall of Fame career the same way it started? No, no it does not.
In a video posted to social media Tuesday night, Paul Rivera—who co-created the talk show The Shop along with James—explained that the Lakers star was just wearing merchandise from his production company titled the Homecoming Network.
“Wanted to check in with you guys about this little thing called ‘Hat Gate,'” Rivera said. “I did not expect this hat right here, ‘welcome home,’ to turn the sports world upside down a couple of years ago. … This hat you see right here that everyone thought was some secret message … if you just turn it around, you’ll see it’s Homecoming Network hat.”
James reposted the video to his X account on Tuesday night to put an end to the speculation. It was fun while it lasted.
James, meanwhile, will gear up this summer for what could be his final season with the Lakers. James opted into his $52.6 million player option in June, setting himself up to hit free agency next summer—unless he chooses to retire after the 2025–26 campaign.
