Sources: LeBron James elected 1st VP of players' union

LeBron James was elected first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association on Friday, moving him into the union's second-most powerful leadership position beneath president Chris Paul, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Paul had been pushing James to join him in a senior position on the NBPA's executive committee for several months, and James made himself a candidate for Friday's union meeting in New York, sources said. The NBPA's player representatives voted on the new executive committee members in a meeting on Friday afternoon, sources said.

The NBPA is working to reshape itself under new executive director Michele Roberts. For years, there's been a push on the players' side to get the league's most prominent players into senior leadership positions. James' elevation to first vice president is the most significant step yet in that process.

The NBA and NBPA could be headed toward another labor showdown in 2017, when each side has the opportunity to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement and ignite a possible work stoppage.

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