Patrick Ewing would never join a super team like LeBron James did: 'We have so much of a great rivalry going against one another'

In 2016, LeBron James controversially said that he wanted to team up with Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul in the NBA before one of them retired.

James previously played on one in Miami, where he teamed up with Wade and Chris Bosh. When he returned to Cleveland, he had another super team, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. But as if those were not enough, King James wanted one more super team and he wanted it to be with his "Banana Boat" brothers.

Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing wasn't having any of LeBron's plans. In an interview with ESPN, Ewing said he never thought about forming a super team during his playing days because the other NBA superstars back then were his rivals.

"Probably not because we have so much of a great rivalry going against one another," Ewing said. "Larry with his trash-talking. Magic also with trash trash-talking, also a great player. To win a championship, a lot of people are willing to do that."

Ewing said that's LeBron's prerogative

Patrick played in a decade that had superstars like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. Back then, players like them took pride in competing against each other and winning NBA titles at the expense of their rivals. Ewing's Knicks never won a chip but they came close in 1994 and 1999 when they lost to the Rockets and Spurs, respectively.

Meanwhile, LeBron formed a super team with Wade and Bosh in Miami in 2010. They made four straight Finals appearances and won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013. He returned to Cleveland and won a third championship in 2016 while playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

"(LeBron) befriending them or whatever you want to call it, that's his prerogative," added Patrick. "Even if he wants and thinks that he could play with those guys, I don't see it happening. We all have dreams, and that's his dream."

It was a serious idea

The banana boat brothers discussed the possibility of playing together as early as 2004, during their Team USA days. However, only Bron and Wade, with Bosh, converged in Miami in 2010. Carmelo says the Heat Big Three could have been a Fantastic Four, but he foolishly stayed in Denver.

"Sometimes it's just chemistry," said James when asked about Melo, D-Wade and CP3. "Sometimes you can't even explain it. And I bonded with Carmelo when I was in the 10th grade. I bonded with CP3 when I was in the 12th, and I bonded with D-Wade when we were both coming into the combine. Some things you just can't explain, and that's why we have our brotherhood."

LeBron's dream did not happen, as Ewing predicted. Wade teamed up with LeBron again in Cleveland but the reunion lasted 46 games. Melo became Bron's teammate in L.A. during the 2021-22 campaign, but that was well past Carmelo's prime. But that's as close as they were to LeBron's dream.