With Decision Looming, LeBron Hoops it Up; Austin Rivers Skips LeBron Academy

As LeBron James contemplates the biggest decision of his life, he took a break Monday to play some five-on-five against college players at his Nike Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio.

Wearing a New York Yankees cap and white T-shirt, James strolled into Rhodes Arena just before 3 p.m., according to The AP. He was accompanied by former Cavaliers teammate Damon Jones and others.

James asked for the main locker room to be opened so he could dress.

After stretching out with a trainer, James shot jumpers as New Orleans star guard Chris Paul, his closest friend in the league, looked on.

Don Anderson, an AAU coach with the King James Shooting Stars out of Akron, said by phone that James then played five-on-five along with Paul, high school buddy Romeo Travis, Cavs teammate Jawad Williams and 2009 Cavs draft pick Christian Eyenga. The AP reported Jones also played.

“They played against Chris Wright from Georgetown, Kyle Singler from Duke, Shelvin Mack from Butler, Vernon Macklin of Florida and Chris Singleton of Florida State,” Anderson said.

He added: “LeBron was being LeBron. He blocked Vernon Macklin’s shot and said, ‘Get it out of here.’ He put the ‘F’ word with it. Shelvin Mack wasn’t afraid  to shoot the jump shot on LeBron.”

Some of the 80 elite high school players in the nation reportedly sat courtside and watched the action.

Organizers asked TV crews and reporters to stop filming, perhaps afraid there could be a repeat of last year, when camper Jordan Crawford of Xavier dunked on James, and the video became an Internet sensation.

Anderson said James’ team won the game on a last-second dunk by Eyenga.

James is not expected to say which team he’ll choose until the camp ends Wednesday. Last week, James heard presentations from the Cavs, Nets, Knicks, Heat, Clippers and Bulls.

“He’s not giving no indication of where’s he doing,” Anderson said.

RIVERS SKIPS CAMP

Austin Rivers, who won the U18 gold medal with Team USA in San Antonio, is not at the LeBron James Academy. “I talked to my family and the people at Nike and they decided for me to take a break because I just got back from USA [hoops],” Rivers, the son of Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers, wrote by text.

(The Associated Press contributed)

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