Or it could have been the declaration that a 17-year-old LeBron James was “The Chosen One,” 20 months before he played in his first N.B.A. For sports fans of a certain age, the memory of running to the mailbox to see what was on the cover of the latest weekly issue of Sports Illustrated is indelible. “You would get that cover and you’d be like: ‘Man, this is what happened last week. But the road has been particularly rough for Sports Illustrated, with its shrinking staff and reduced print frequency. Last week, most of the employees were either laid off or told their employment would be uncertain after 90 days, leaving the publication’s future in flux.

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Persons: Dwight Clark, LeBron James, “, ”, Nate Gordon Organizations: United States Olympic, San Francisco 49ers, Sports, Sports Illustrated, Players ’ Tribune Locations: “