Free agent LeBron James finally joins Twitter

AKRON, Ohio (AP) - LeBron James has made one decision — he joined Twitter.

The NBA's most ballyhooed free agent opened an account on the social networking site Tuesday. Publicist Keith Estabrook confirmed the monicker kingjames is indeed LeBron. It is not known if James will post his own messages or have someone do it for him.

James had been reluctant to join Twitter or Facebook and had even joked in the past about how other athletes discussed their personal lives online.

New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, one of James' closest friends, posted on Twitter at midday Tuesday that while he couldn't persuade the two-time MVP to tell him which team he'll sign with, he talked him into joining the service. Less than an hour after Paul's tweet, James had nearly 18,000 followers — even though he had yet to make a single post.

By 2:30 p.m., James had nearly 60,000 followers.

Under the bio heading on James' page it reads: King of Akron.

James has yet to announce where he'll play next season, a decision that could affect the future of several franchises and the city of Cleveland's economy. The 25-year-old Akron native has spent his first seven seasons as a pro with the Cavaliers.

Meanwhile, James even has his campers waiting for him.

The NBA's marquee free agent failed to show for two of Tuesday's five sessions at his annual camp, fueling speculation about his plans. The camp's organizers and his publicist had anticipated James watching some of the nation's top high school and college players.

On Monday, James made a surprise appearance with New Orleans guard Chris Paul and played a few full-court games at Rhodes Arena on the first day at Nike Skills Academy. The two-time MVP may come to the afternoon or evening sessions.

James met with six teams last week and his decision could affect the balance of the league for years. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls are believed to be the front-runners.