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LeBron James kicked off 24 Heures du Mans, or 24 Hours of Le Mans for English readers, by waving the French flag on Saturday. James' presence and participation at the event was announced early in the week by NASCAR, which revealed that he would be the official starter.
By starting the 100th edition of the endurance race, James joins the likes of several other notable celebrities who have served as starters for the race. Notably, tennis legend Rafael Nadal, and famed actor Brad Pitt have served as the official starters for the event in the past.
Also in attendance on Saturday was none other than retired NFL superstar Tom Brady, who was caught on camera arriving for the event. While Brady certainly didn't play as big of a role in the weekend's festivities as James, he received a warm welcome as fans and crew members took pictures with him.
LeBron James was quoted by BleacherReport as saying:
"There's nothing like seeing and experiencing sports at their highest level. It's an honor for me to be part of this historic moment in motorsports and help celebrate the Centenary of one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
"I look forward to kicking off this iconic race and watching its world-class drivers compete on Le Mans' global stage."
LeBron James' offseason activities
After being eliminated from the Western Conference finals, LeBron James and the LA Lakers headed into the offseason. Moments after the game, however, James left everyone shocked when he cast doubt on his future, stating that there were some things he needed to think about.
Immediately, his comments sent the NBA community into a frenzy, as many questioned whether James had played in his final NBA game. Fortunately for Lakers fans, and the NBA community as a whole, follow-up reports emerged that James would return next season.
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Now, with the offseason to figure things out, James will look to help the team's front office bolster the roster before returning next year.
On one hand, he has expressed a desire to share the court with both of his kids, either as part of the same team, or against them. At the same time, however, James has also been very open about his desire to own an NBA franchise.
Considering that the league is going to begin exploring the possibilities of expanding late next season, only time will tell what the future holds for LeBron James.
