National Basketball Association

Report: LeBron won't play in World Tour

Published Oct. 26, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Miami Heat superstar LeBron James will not play in the upcoming NBA World Tour due to prior commitments, the Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday.

In addition to James, ESPN reported that Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul also will not participate.

The six-game World Tour kicks off Sunday in Puerto Rico, then will move to O2 Arena in London on Nov. 1 and 3. The fourth game is slated to be Nov. 6 in Macau, with the final two games Nov. 8 and 9 in Melbourne, Australia.

Most of the proceeds from the tour will go to charity, while the players, including Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard will be paid between $500,000 and $1 million each, ESPN reported.

The final 18-man roster has yet to be released. Among the possible participants are Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash and Kevin Love.

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, last season's MVP, said Wednesday he would not make the trip because he already committed to play in a USO-backed exhibition on Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.

The tour was put together over the past three months by Atlanta businessman Calvin Darden, as the NBA lockout heads toward a fifth month.

The NBA owners and Players Association met Wednesday in New York in a bid to move toward a deal before the league cancels more games. The first two weeks of the regular season, which would have started Nov. 1, have been called off.