Nike says just don’t do it to videographers taping pickup game after LeBron’s camp

Nike takes videographers’ tapes at LeBron camp

AKRON, Ohio — What happens at LeBron’s camp stays at LeBron’s camp.

A minor controversy erupted at the LeBron James Skills Academy on Monday night when two videographers recorded a pickup game in which Xavier’s Jordan Crawford dunked on James.

Gary Parrish reported on CBSSports.com that a Nike representative confiscated tapes of the dunk after conferring with James.

A representative with Nike, which runs the camp at the University of Akron in James’ hometown, made no mention of Crawford’s dunk. He said the tapes were confiscated because videotaping of after-hours pickup games at the camp is not allowed.

“Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has long-standing policies as to what events are open and closed to media coverage. Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our no videotaping policy at an after-hours pickup game following the LeBron James Skills Academy,” said Nike spokesman Derek Kent on Wednesday.

A spokesman for James said he had no comment.

The camp features 80 top basketball prospects from around the nation.

Crawford said his dunk happened in the first 20 minutes of a game that lasted about two hours and did not prompt any reaction from James.

“We just went on playing,” Crawford said Wednesday. “It was exciting just to be playing on the same court as him. I can see why he is so great at what he does.”