Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has confirmed that he personally tried to recruit LeBron James to the team during the 2026 offseason.
"If anybody didn't try, I think they'd be a fool," Curry said, per NBC Sports Bay Area.
James became the biggest name on the free-agent market after informing the Los Angeles Lakers on June 30 that he would not return for another season.
Golden State was among the teams pursuing him throughout July.
However, LeBron eventually chose the Philadelphia 76ers, signing a two-year, approximately $8 million contract with a player option for the second season.
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Warriors made major push for James
Golden State had been positioning itself to pursue James during the offseason.
Draymond Green had declined his $27.7 million player option, giving the Warriors additional financial flexibility.
It was not the first time Golden State had shown interest in James. The Warriors also explored the possibility of acquiring LeBron ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline, though no deal materialized.
The 41-year-old James said winning was his priority and joined a 76ers roster featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games for the Lakers last season.