LeBron James has snapped up another big endorsement deal, this time for bubble gum.
Like his idol, Michael Jordan, the 19-year-old James chews gum during games and occasionally blows a bubble or two -- making him a natural fit for London-based Cadbury Schweppes PLC.
"He appeals to a large audience and he loves the brand," marketing director Sydney Taylor said Monday. "He's been chewing our gum for quite a while."
James will appear in television and print advertisements for the gum, the first time a pro athlete has endorsed the product, Taylor said. Cadbury is exploring having James promote other products, she said.
James' agent, Aaron Goodwin, said Bubblicious will have a LeBron James-inspired flavor.
"I'm still a kid," James said. "I'm 19 and I'm not getting any younger. I want to make kids happy."
Goodwin had been in negotiations for three months on the deal and said he's talking with four or five companies, including McDonald's and Kraft, about future projects.
James has been racking up big-money endorsement contracts with sponsors since May, when he signed a seven-year, US$90 million deal with Nike -- the richest initial shoe contract ever offered an athlete.
He has deals with Coca Cola/Sprite (US$16 million), Juice Batteries (US$8 million) and Upper Deck (US$5 million). He also signed a guaranteed three-year, US$13 million deal with the Cavaliers in July.
Cavaliers 104, Hornets 100
Jason Kapono looked down at the nasty, jagged scratch on his chest that was inflicted by an opponent's finger nail and worried he might be in trouble.
"I guess I'm going to have to explain that one to my fiancee," Cleveland's rookie quipped.
Kapono and the Cleveland Cavaliers did some clawing back of their own Monday night, rallying from 25 points down in the first half for a 104-100 win over New Orleans.
In a season that has been one long comeback for the Cavaliers, this was a win worth savoring.
"This is sweet," guard Jeff McInnis said. "I've never come back from so far down before. I've been on the other end. This is a lot more fun."
Cleveland's improbable win completed a four-day stretch in which the Cavs beat the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, turned Madison Square Garden fans on the Knicks and stunned the Hornets.
Suddenly, there seems to be nothing these Cavs can't do.
"We're coming together as a family," LeBron James said.
James scored 21 points and Kapono added a season-high 19 for Cleveland, which trailed 49-24 midway through the second period before storming back.
Carlos Boozer had 24 points, and McInnis added 14 and nine assists for the Cavs, who started the season 6-19 and endured turmoil and two major trades but are within 1 games of a playoff spot.
"The chemistry is really great," first-year coach Paul Silas said. "We're finding combinations. We're finding ways to win. We're learning how to fight through adversity. This was sweet."
And historic? Not sure.
Neither the Cavs nor the Elias Sports Bureau -- the NBA's official keeper of records big and small -- could determine if it was Cleveland's largest comeback.
But there's no need to look up if it was one of the Cavs' most improbable.
"When we were behind by 25, no one in their right mind thought we would come back," said Kapono, who didn't play in Sunday's win at New York.
Only once before had the Hornets blown a 25-point lead. They also did it on March 1, 1996, at Minnesota.
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