Fourteen years after turning down a bold recruitment pitch from the New York Knicks, LeBron James paid tribute to James Gandolfini, the late Sopranos star who tried to lure him to the team. In a recent interview, James revealed that Gandolfini, a Knicks fan and close friend, had approached him in 2006 with an offer to join the team. Despite the appeal, James ultimately decided to stay with the Miami Heat.