For decades, basketball’s biggest icons have searched for the perfect way to tell their stories. Michael Jordan set the gold standard in 2020, when The Last Dance captivated fans with exclusive footage and unprecedented behind-the-scenes access during the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty. Now, another all-time great is reportedly preparing a career-defining documentary. But before comparisons to Jordan’s acclaimed series could gather momentum, LeBron James’ longtime friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, stepped in to push back against the narrative.

Responding to reports that ESPN is close to finalizing a Last Dance-style documentary centered on James’ final NBA chapter with the Philadelphia 76ers, Carter wrote on X:

“We are NOT doing anything like the ‘last dance’ LeBron doesn’t even know when his last season is,” Carter tweeted.

Carter’s statement contradicted the initial reports, which claimed ESPN and James were “at the 1-yard line” of completing an agreement for a documentary that would follow the four-time NBA champion in Philadelphia while adding old footage from throughout his career.

The reported project is expected to feature never-before-seen footage collected since LeBron James entered the league in 2003, along with behind-the-scenes access during his time with the 76ers.

Insiders Report ESPN Talks Remain Advanced

Despite Carter’s post, multiple insiders have maintained that discussions between James’ camp and ESPN are well underway.

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand was the first to report that negotiations had reached the “1-yard line,” with one source describing the agreement as being close to completion. According to the report, a camera crew would follow James throughout the upcoming season in Philadelphia as he pursues what could be his fifth NBA championship.

Reuters later confirmed those reports, adding that the documentary is expected to combine current behind-the-scenes access with archival footage spanning James’ entire NBA career, including material that has never been released publicly.

If the project ultimately moves forward, comparisons with The Last Dance will likely be unavoidable. ESPN’s 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls became the network’s most-watched documentary ever, largely because it paired exclusive interviews with more than 500 hours of previously unseen footage from the 1997-98 season.

Still, Carter’s comments suggest that any new series will be designed to tell James’ story on its own terms rather than replicate Jordan’s blueprint. That would be consistent with Carter’s long-held approach to athlete storytelling through SpringHill and Uninterrupted, where he and James have spent years developing original documentaries and long-form sports content instead of simply revisiting existing formats.

Whether the final product resembles The Last Dance or takes a completely different direction, one thing appears certain: there is significant momentum behind a major documentary project. The only remaining question is whether it captures the closing chapter of James’ legendary career, or merely another stop in a journey that, according to Carter, still doesn’t have an ending in sight.