James is currently not involved in planning the International Basketball League and will focus on his final years in the NBA.

Today, The Athletic reporter Joe Vardon wrote an article reporting on the progress of the International Basketball League’s “Plan B”.

When Maverick Carter, LeBron James and an influential NBA agent in Europe took a group photo on a yacht in the south of France at the end of July and hinted in the accompanying text that big moves were about to happen, the news caused quite a shock in the entire basketball world.

For months, there has been speculation about the possible creation of an international men's and women's basketball league involving Carter as a consultant. This potential new league could pose a threat to the NBA and WNBA. Carter is James' main business partner and his best friend growing up in Akron, Ohio. He has publicly expressed his desire to create another basketball "option" and is reportedly seeking $5 billion in investment to achieve that goal.

This week, Front Office Sports revealed for the first time that Carter is no longer involved in the project (at least for now), sparking confusion about the future direction of this bold plan, especially if it loses his influence. However, according to Grady Burnett, co-founder of Plan B and a former Google and Facebook executive, a women's basketball league is still in the works, and a men's basketball league may also be established.

Burnett said in an interview with The Athletic that Plan B will start the women’s basketball league first, mainly because of the huge growth and attention of the sport in recent years. The league, which will consist of six teams with 11 players each, playing seven two-week tours in cities in Asia, Europe and the Americas, has been two years in the making. Burnett thinks this could become a multi-billion dollar business.

The league was co-founded by him and Skype co-founder and friend Jeff Prentiss to attract top players from around the world. According to league sources, they have begun negotiations with some WNBA stars, and Burnett also confirmed that several WNBA players have been signed.

With Carter's exit, plans for a men's basketball league that could cause chaos in the NBA have become unclear. When Carter was involved, the plan had been compared to the controversial LIV golf league due to the presence of a Saudi partner and James' possible involvement. Multiple sources close to the stars said players and their agents are curious about the new league, which could bring higher revenue and equity opportunities. However, Carter's exit could change that.

Nonetheless, Burnett did not deny that "Plan B" could potentially expand to men's basketball, and it could even start as soon as next fall. He said: "We will focus on the women's aspect now, but we will naturally consider other possibilities later."

The NBA's standard player contract clearly stipulates that players signed to NBA teams are not allowed to play for other leagues. Burnett said they would deal with issues with other leagues or potential conflicts in the future. The new league, which has attracted attention across the NBA, first came into public view when Carter was involved. Burnett said Carter had helped with Plan B, but he is no longer involved.

While the new global basketball project is advancing, people with NBA background have already begun interviewing for jobs in the new league. Why Carter is no longer involved or when he will exit is unclear, but a league source revealed that Carter was still discussing the new league last week. Carter's spokesperson told The Athletic: "The team came to Maverick for advice, and he provided advice and subsequently withdrew several months ago. He is no longer working with them or any other European basketball leagues."

There has also been widespread speculation about James' future. James, who is about to enter the 23rd season of his career, will celebrate his 41st birthday in December. He may retire from the Los Angeles Lakers after this season. James is playing out the final year of his $52.6 million contract with the Lakers, marking the first time he has started a season without at least one player option.

So it caused a huge stir when James hinted at a "second decision" on social media on Monday - which was ultimately revealed to be an ad for a brandy. This is why at the Lakers media day on September 29, his next step - retiring or joining a new league - became the focus behind the scenes.

James further fueled speculation this summer by appearing on a yacht with Carter and Nikola Jokic's Serbian agent, Mishko Raznatovic. Raznatovic posted a photo of the three of them with the caption, "The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026!" Raznatovic declined to comment. Burnett confirmed that the meeting on the yacht was indeed related to "Plan B", but also said that the franchise has not been discussed with James.

An NBA source close to James said that the global superstar currently has no involvement in "Plan B". The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said LeBron is "focused on playing out his final years in the NBA" and that after he retires, "he will turn his attention elsewhere if he chooses." (LeBron is “focused on finishing his last years in the NBA,” and when his NBA career is over, he “will turn his focus elsewhere if he chooses.”)

When considering the “next step,” James has also expressed strong interest in owning an NBA team after retiring, especially if Las Vegas acquires an expansion team.. He is personally worth more than $1 billion and has ties to at least two high-impact, extremely wealthy companies with extensive professional sports team ownership experience: Fenway Sports Group and Redbird Capital.

Although the future of James and his team remains uncertain, "Plan B" will continue to advance at its own pace. It is about to announce its first WNBA roster, which will undoubtedly attract more attention. Higher pay and a new model for basketball are attractive in the world of women's basketball.