He turned down James Harden and $19.5 million: “They put James on the phone and I was nearly convinced”

On Thursday, Real Madrid made official what had long been an open secret: Sergio Llull will stay with the club for another season. The announcement came via a statement on their website confirming that the veteran point guard has reached an agreement to extend his contract until June 2026.

At 37 years old and 6′3″, Llull will now head into his 20th consecutive campaign with the team, a record-breaking run unmatched by any footballer or basketball player in the club’s storied history.

He turned down James Harden and $19.5 million: “They put James on the phone and I was nearly convinced” DAVID GONZALEZ

Set to turn 38 on November 15, Llull joined Real Madrid in 2007 from Baxi Manresa. Since then, he has become a pillar of the team and one of the most decorated players in European basketball. His haul with Madrid includes 29 titles: 3 EuroLeagues, 6 Spanish league championships, 7 Copas del Rey, 9 Supercopas, and 1 Intercontinental Cup – achievements that have cemented his status as a legend. He was recently named among the top 25 players in EuroLeague history.

The extension comes after another solid year, particularly during the playoffs. In the Liga Endesa, Llull averaged 8.6 points and 2.3 assists per game, with an efficiency rating of 7.8. In EuroLeague action, he posted 6.6 points and 2.2 assists, with a 5.1 rating.

He turned down James Harden and $19.5 million: “They put James on the phone and I was nearly convinced” CHEMA DIAZ

But Llull’s future with the team almost took a very different turn back in 2015, when the Houston Rockets made a determined push to sign him. The NBA franchise offered the Menorcan guard a three-year, $19.5 million deal that very nearly pulled him away from Madrid. It all looked done and dusted until the Spanish club struck back with a blockbuster offer rarely seen in European basketball: a new deal through 2021 (his existing contract was set to expire in 2018) worth over €2 million per season.

In a recent episode of TIMEOUT on the Spanish basketball federation’s YouTube channel, Llull opened up about why he turned down the NBA. “I have no regrets at all. It was my decision – and it was the right one because it was mine,” he said. “The Rockets came, we went out to dinner, and they even had James Harden call me. I left that meeting saying, ‘I’m going.’ I was nearly convinced.”

He turned down James Harden and $19.5 million: “They put James on the phone and I was nearly convinced” CHEMA DIAZ

But Madrid’s final pitch proved decisive. “We told the club. Florentino [Pérez] called me and they offered a six-year deal with a salary bump – still far from the NBA offer, but significant. In the end, we weighed everything and I chose to stay,” Llull recalled.

The choice paid off. That season turned out to be one of the finest of his career, as he led Madrid to a clean sweep: Spanish league title (he was named Finals MVP against Barcelona), EuroLeague, Supercopa (MVP), Copa del Rey, and the Intercontinental Cup (MVP).

Now, the seasoned guard is set for a reunion with Sergio Scariolo, the coach who gave him his first cap with the Spanish national team during a warm-up game for EuroBasket 2009.

He turned down James Harden and $19.5 million: “They put James on the phone and I was nearly convinced”

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