NBA: ‘King’ James to play Monday before Prince William

LeBron James. AP file Photo

NEW YORK — Prince William and his pregnant wife Kate will attend their first NBA game Monday during a three-day US visit when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Brooklyn Nets.

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player nicknamed “King James” will lead the Cavaliers (11-7) in search of their seventh win in a row while entertaining the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Barclays Center against the Nets (8-10), the league announced Sunday.

The royal couple will attend the game as part of a new partnership announced Sunday between the NBA and the Royal Foundation, a project linking the league’s NBA Cares program with the foundation’s United for Wildlife and Coach Core programs.

The projects will unite NBA players and England’s royalty to stress global wildlife conservation, develop a new generation of conservation leaders and boost the sport of basketball.

New York Knicks star Carmelo anthony will take part in a Coach Core graduation event to develop new basketball coaches when his team visits London to play the Milwaukee Bucks on January 14 in a regular-season matchup.

United for Wildlife efforts, led by Prince William, will receive a boost from NBA stars as Spanish Olympian Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder, retired African NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo and two-time NBA All-Star Al Horford of Atlanta.

They join a lineup of conversation boosters that includes English football icon David Beckham, Scottish tennis star Andy Murray, Formula One star Lewis Hamilton and retired Chinese NBA star Yao Ming.

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