My Two Dans

EPISODE 288: The Second Decision.

I once spent time with LeBron James and his business partner/friend, Maverick Carter, for an ESPN The Magazine story about their ambitions in entertainment.

This was in 2017, the year before LeBron joined the Los Angeles Lakers, and seven years after he starred in a deeply unpopular TV special called The Decision.

I’m putting this caption in here simply to tell you that the “What This Sound Is” teaser at the start of the YouTube video above is an all-timer.

I feel obliged to note here that my own business partner/friend, Dan Le Batard, likes to joke that I’ve written like six magazines features ever and I’m still dining out on them, to this day. (He’s not completely wrong.)

But last week, when I saw LeBron announce something called The Second Decision — teasing his retirement, this time — I thought of the Miami-based Le Batard.

And, also, a different Dan: Patrick.

The host of The Dan Patrick Show; recurring member of the Adam Sandler Cinematic Universe; and a seminal figure in my childhood, from SportsCenter.

I thought of them because when it comes to retirement, and mortality, and what it means to work in both media and entertainment, my two Dans have a funny and profound perspective. Which they’ve been sharing with each other, privately.

And here, now, with you.

YOUTUBE SPOILER ALERT:

Enjoy,

Pablo