Origin story of the 'Banana Boat Crew': How did the most famous NBA 'club' come about

[{"selector":"#anim-2f1c8484-f06f-499a-9430-fe8bcb74026f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-106.03674%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8093807-15d9-457a-930f-4a0126c390fd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 320.08547%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Origin story of the 'Banana Boat Crew': How did the most famous NBA 'club' come about - Arhaan Raje

[{"selector":"#anim-b59df703-252a-40d5-998c-d18c288369b9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b35f2e4-a37c-42e1-9f6d-91df5b99d6f7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony's close friendship is no secret.

[{"selector":"#anim-c77ca965-68cf-47f5-9517-b5302e81397c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e9d0893c-c76f-4e08-91a7-d2c725701280","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The four potential Hall of Famers have known each other since they were teenagers.

[{"selector":"#anim-6ddd4b06-9d2a-42cb-beff-18a6f1d9dabd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45350b5e-c8ef-49d1-8b16-8a02a5c47387","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] They all found plenty of success in the NBA and became superstars in the league.

[{"selector":"#anim-d7adc23e-1042-4c13-b796-91a75f3d74c1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4868b46b-132b-44e9-8645-088da27a3e20","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 171.24174%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron James was the only one to team up with Dwyane Wade in Miami and Carmelo Anthony in LA out of the group, but that didn't stop the 4 from becoming close friends.

[{"selector":"#anim-8106759c-fbb0-4f9d-a837-e679e7996bdc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af9e96f6-8364-42b5-b854-0d5c65a6b02d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The quartet earned the famous monicker as the "Banana Boat Crew" after they were spotted vacationing together in 2015.

[{"selector":"#anim-0bd4c95f-1f6e-4a68-b2fe-6bb945c2c0b4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72985fef-9f26-4489-9ad8-b5fef19bf504","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron, CP3, D-Wade and his wife Gabriella Union were pictured riding on a Banana Boat together, which was the beginning of how the "Banana Boat Crew" came along.

[{"selector":"#anim-a0fa4ade-8460-44b6-92fc-28e17664987d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bdfd997-f7a8-4162-abd6-e8bfd02a069c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carmelo Anthony wasn't in the picture but he was also vacationing with his fellow NBA stars.

[{"selector":"#anim-381a4ca1-d88c-425f-9ac7-efc27a55e57e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53e830a9-3aee-4e27-9c8c-9683ab1be08c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The superstar quarter has remained a close knit group through the years even after D-Wade's retirement and Anthony's absence from the league.

[{"selector":"#anim-8004ceb2-c5f4-45a1-b487-7d3694dded34","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.03814%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9843665-298a-431c-923d-2bab9d641bdc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.35948%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Also read: Top 5 most ridiculous purchases by NBA stars featuring Scottie Pippen's faulty private jet, Carmelo Anthony's camel, and more