Report: ESPN to air LeBron's decision Thursday

7:31 AM PDT 10/14/2010 by Associated Press, AP

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Reps have asked to sell sponsorship to benefit charity

ESPN is reporting that LeBron James will announce his NBA plans on its network Thursday night at 9 p.m. in an hourlong special.

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ESPN's Chris Broussard is reporting Tuesday night that James' "representatives" contacted the network and asked for the unusual arrangement. Broussard reports ESPN officials confirmed the request but added the network was not told what James' decision will be.

Broussard also writes that James' representatives asked if they could sell sponsorship for the one-hour special, with proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. ESPN reportedly agreed.

Both James' publicist Keith Estabrook and ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz declined comment.

James' plans are a closely guarded secret. He is believed to be considering staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers or joining the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks or New Jersey Nets.

On Tuesday, the NBA's most prized free agent opened a Twitter account and posted his first message on the social networking site. While he provided no information about his future plans, he offered something as the NBA awaits the decision on where he'll play next.

"Hello World, the Real King James is in the Building," said the tweet on the kingjames feed, which by 9 p.m. EDT had more than 167,000 followers.

After arriving for the second day of his skills academy on Tuesday four hours later than expected, James spent six hours at Rhodes Arena in meetings and playing ball with several Cavaliers teammates against high school campers before heading home. He didn't speak to reporters before pulling away in his customized Dodge pickup truck.