Right as the clock struck 12:01 am ET on Thursday morning, officially starting this summer's free agency bonanza, LeBron James(notes) received three things — several phone calls from interested teams, a knock on his door and a mysterious package. Since the package was mysterious, no one knew what it contained. But now that we're a few days past the start of the offseason signing period, someone has to take credit for the move.

[Photos: LeBron's recruitment tour]

As it turns out, the package James received was from Chicago. And as it turns out, it was the final piece in a week long marketing initiative by the Chicago-based Leo Burnett Worldwide ad agency. From the Chicago Tribune's Steve Johnson:

"LeBron, the fans of Chicago have a question for you," reads the two-page ad that ran in Thursday's Akron Beacon Journal, James' hometown paper. "Can you cast a shadow this big?"

The image is of an outline that looks a lot like Michael Jordan's, in the iconic, ball-in-one-hand pose, spread out over the Chicago cityscape. Dreamed up by sports-loving ad guys at the city's Leo Burnett agency and paid for by Burnett, it was the culmination of a four-day campaign featuring a fresh challenge each day. [...]

So Monday, they sent to his house the classic red, white and black Air Jordans and asked if he could fill those shoes. Tuesday it was a case featuring seven empty ring boxes, representing one more championship than Jordan won here, and the question, "Can you fill these boxes?"

Wednesday was a mock-up of a Chicago Tribune 10 years hence - still going strong, by the way - and the headline "Sweet Throne, Chicago: With Title No. 7, It's Officially King James' Court."

Bold. I mean, wowsers, you guys. Flaunting Chicago and Michael Jordan's legacy in James' hometown is about as direct as you can be when addressing what many see as James' biggest hurdle when considering signing with the Bulls. No use beating around the bush, I guess. Readily acknowledging that LeBron would have a lot of work to do to catch Jordan is playing to James' competitive side, and doing that would be just the kind of thing that would set Jordan off. I think that's irony, but I'm not a big Alanis Morissette fan.

It feels like this move might tell us a little bit about what LeBron is really after and whether or not he's willing to intentionally position himself against the greatest player of all-time. At the very least, it's a pretty cool campaign — Don Draper would be proud — and LeBron got a pair of awesome shoes. I think that makes him the big winner in all of this.

(h/t Chris Littmann)

This almost sounds like you have a new girlfriend and she says lets go--lets see if you can F as good as my last boyfriend--now get in bed.

BRIGGS wrote:If this wasn't the most God-awful approach. This is probably why he is giving other team like the Knicks another chance, Surprised he didn't hurl?

This almost sounds like you have a new girlfriend and she says lets go--lets see if you can F as good as my last boyfriend--now get in bed.

to which I reply "turn over" then in the words of Mos Def i proceed to "smash it like an Idaho potato" then leaving her with her legs akimbo, I casually mention on the way "oh by the way, I'm actually getting married to a chick in NY...see ya"

In their meeting Saturday, the Bulls told LeBron James that there would be no special privileges for his inner circle and management team if the superstar signs in Chicago.

Those close to James have enjoyed a greater level of access and other perks during his time in Cleveland.

another rumor of something that can be equally true or false but if true, the bulls are letting him know from the get go how they operate.

ActionJackson wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:If this wasn't the most God-awful approach. This is probably why he is giving other team like the Knicks another chance, Surprised he didn't hurl?

This almost sounds like you have a new girlfriend and she says lets go--lets see if you can F as good as my last boyfriend--now get in bed.

to which I reply "turn over" then in the words of Mos Def i proceed to "smash it like an Idaho potato" then leaving her with her legs akimbo, I casually mention on the way "oh by the way, I'm actually getting married to a chick in NY...see ya"

exactly