“I definitely love playing in front of the fans. The fans are what make the game,” James said. “Without the fans, I wouldn’t be who I am today. To all the fans out there that come watch me play, I miss you guys and hopefully someday I can get back to that interaction.” That partly explains why James initially scoffed at the NBA considering to host games behind closed doors when the coronavirus outbreak emerged in the United States. He maintained “I ain’t playing” any games behind closed doors. Four days later, James clarified his stance after saying he became more aware the NBA had seriously considered this idea out of safety concerns regarding COVID-19.