LeBron Fans Make Full-Court Press In Harlem

With both New York and New Jersey actively seeking out the NBA's biggest free agent, fans in Harlem are also hoping to get the attention of basketball star LeBron James. NY1's Erica Ferrari filed the following report. New Yorkers love the Cleveland Caveliers' LeBron James, and now his image is immortalized in a Knicks uniform on a Rucker Park basketball court. The 25-year-old superstar is the most anticipated free agent in basketball history, and local fans are making it clear they want him in the tri-state. "Ask Mark Messier, Derek Jeter, ask all of them. They'll all tell you winning in New York is the greatest. If you can do it here, you can do it anywhere," said Harlem resident Michael Williams. Further downtown, New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and minority shareholder Jay Z can be seen plastered on a giant billboard hoping to lure LeBron to the Nets. The in-your-face ad is just a jump shot away from the Knicks' home court inside Madison Square Garden. Knicks fans say LeBron is just what the team needs to break their losing streak, as the team hasn't had a winning record since the 2000-2001 season. "A lot of people will be going to Madison Square Garden, it'll be packed, it'll be back on the top of the world. Like right now, everyone's going to Vegas and stuff like that. Now Madison Square Garden it'll be up and booming again," said one Knicks fan. "Bring LeBron to New York and we'll build around him," said another. Representatives of both the Knicks and the Nets met with the superstar forward in Cleveland Thursday. While fans cross their fingers LeBron will make the move to the tri-state, others have their own ideas on what the two-time NBA MVP will do next. "If he hopped out this year, he'll lose a lot of fans in his hometown. He's gotta think about his kids, where they're gonna go to school, things like that. So it'll be more comfortable for him to stay two more years," said one fan. New York and New Jersey are not the only two cities interested in luring LeBron. He's also wanted in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and, of course, Cleveland. LeBron is expected to announce his decision Monday night.