DALLAS -- That guy with an extra bounce in his step walking around Big D during All-Star Weekend is LBJ.

LeBron James is feeling pretty good these days. Not necessarily because he's the defending MVP and one of the most famous athletes on the planet.

His Cleveland Cavaliers are 43-11, the best record in the NBA, and own a 13-game winning streak.

"It's fun,'' James said. "You can walk around here with a strut, and a lot of people can't walk around here (like that). We got the No. 1 best record and a 13-game winning streak. To represent our team and franchise is great.''

James offered his state-of-LeBron address Friday, two days before he will play in his sixth straight All-Star Game. He said at the outset he wouldn't talk about his ability to be a free agent this summer.

"About five or six months ago, I was done talking about free agency until the end of the season,'' James said.

Actually, James said he was done three months ago. But who's counting when you're having as much fun as he is these days?

It would have been more fun for the fans during if James had agreed to take part in Saturday's dunk contest. He said during last All-Star Weekend last February he was likely to take part before backing off.

James, averaging 29.9 points, is making no similar predictions this weekend.
"Right now, I don't have any interest in the dunk contest,'' James said. "I had a change of heart (from last year). ... As I get older, the chances of me doing it fades off.''

James, though, is excited about playing Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in front of what could be a crowd of 100,000.

"It's going to be the first time for playing in a dome,'' said James, who attended the Cowboys' first game at the stadium last season and came away impressed. "I think it's going to be unbelievable. It definitely is going to be one of the biggest moments in sports we have today. To be part of this historical moment, I'm humbled and it will be fun.''

But James knows there is a time for business this weekend. With the collective bargaining agreement likely to expire after next season and many believing there will be a lockout then, James attended Friday afternoon's meeting between the players' union and the NBA owners.

There were 10 All-Stars at the meeting, 11 if you count Chris Paul, who is out due to injury and would have been at the meeting regardless because he's on the union board. James is vowing to take an active role in these negotiations.

"Right now, there are lot of discussions going on,'' James said before the meeting in which the union rejected the initial owners' proposal. "The owners are going for more harsh contracts and things like that. My role will be hopefully I'm going to play a big part in it. It can affect not only myself but every guy (who) is part of the NBA. ... I'll definitely spread the word to guy to guys so that they understand this is a very serious matter for all players.''

For now, though, James is doing some serious strutting during All-Star Weekend.

Source: Chris Tomasson, FanHouse