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When Quinn M. Johnson, the actor who plays Matt in the play, “King James,” first watched the production in New York City, he felt it was a personal story he understood. After reading the script, he was compelled to trust his instincts and take on the role.

“Whenever I read something like that, I get a feeling, and as I was reading it, I was like, ‘I know these guys, I know what they’re feeling,’” Johnson said.

Syracuse Stage is currently hosting the “King James” play, which began on Feb. 26 and will run through March 16. The play explores the complex dynamic of friendship while following the trajectory of legendary NBA player LeBron James’ career. Matt, played by Johnson, and Shawn, played by Enoch King, explore how their love of basketball can either make or break their friendship.

The overall narrative of the play explores a friendship “ebb and flow” under the context of sports and James’ legacy, Johnson said. Matt and Shawn’s friendship demonstrates that love exists in the corners of relationships.

When Matt and Shawn meet for the first time, they’re two diehard Cleveland Cavaliers fans who attend every game together. Matt is more reserved, and Shawn is more outgoing with his emotions, but they both share a love for the game.

They form a bond when Shawn gives Matt the other half of his tickets, leading them to attend games together as their friendship evolves over time. The play occurs over James’ career, from being drafted first overall by the Cavaliers in 2003 to winning the 2016 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors.

Donnie Woodard, the play’s associate scenic designer, said he was moved by the actors and that their performances were phenomenal.

“As someone quite familiar with the script and (who has) worked on two productions of it now, I think this was probably the most genuine performance that I’ve seen,” Woodward said.

By the end of the play, Matt and Shawn recognized that it wasn’t just about who won the game, but the players, like James, who made it so tense and enjoyable to watch.

“It’s about so much more than sports, it has very little to do with who wins or loses but more about the people who are persevering through the obstacles of life to compete,” Jamil Jude, the director of Syracuse Stage’s production of “King James,” said.

Jude discussed how community and loyalty play out in this production and how it’s about who you’re loyal to through any relationship and friendship. He said you can see this happen through the play’s narrative, where Matt and Shawn grow together and apart.

“I think that the way Matt and Shawn deal with their problems is so real and it’s so ubiquitous,” Johnson said. “The friendship itself, it’s very rarely just sunny skies and popsicles.”

Six and a half years later, despite career differences, Matt and Shawn are still best friends. Matt is successful, while Shawn is struggling to find a job. When Matt asks Shawn if he’s going to one of the basketball games costing $400, it causes Shawn to think about the changes they have both made in their lives.

Shawn reveals that he got a job in Los Angeles — something he failed to tell Matt — and the two get angry with each other. Matt is upset because they’ve always gone to every game together. As Shawn tries to find the right words, Matt’s reaction changes from confusion to understanding.

“Matt is not somebody that can handle his emotions, yet, he allows himself to be emotional around this other man because they’ve known each other for so long and he almost doesn’t have another option because he really loves this person,” Johnson said.

Courtesy of Joanna Penalva

At the start of the play “King James,” two best friends, Matt and Shawn, attend every Cleveland Cavalier basketball game. The two of them share a deep love for the sport.

Johnson said this play is something the audience members can resonate with. He said they don’t need to leave thinking it was the best show ever, but instead they’ve experienced the play’s narrative in their own lives.

“I want people to feel like they are watching something familiar, what matters is that you can spend time with them and feel, ‘Yeah that was it, I’ve experienced that,’” Jude said. “That moment happened when we see Matt and Shawn four years later, still best friends.”

Johnson explained that Matt and Shawn come from different backgrounds, have different expectations in life and pursue different ambitions. Because of this, their argument becomes very tense, and ultimately, there is a larger conversation about race and friendship.

There’s a moment in the play where Matt says that James should have “known his place” four years prior when he famously left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in 2010, which Shawn very strongly disagrees with. Shawn took Matt’s comment about James personally, thinking it also applied to him because he’s Black.

Two years later, Shawn visits Matt at his mother’s shop as it closes down. Although they never openly address their argument, they both knew it was a special day because the Cavaliers had just won the NBA Championship. The play ends with the spotlight highlighting only Matt and Shawn, playing a makeshift basketball game with a rolled paper and a trash can.

Sean Marchant, an audience member, said he enjoyed seeing the early and developing parts of Matt and Shawn’s friendship. He said this play touches on how friendship has its ups and downs, and there isn’t always going to be agreement between friends.

Marchant felt that the portrayal of friendship between Matt and Shawn felt genuinely authentic and that they had very good chemistry on stage.

Johnson spoke about how people go to see a play for the moments where people crack and break. In “King James,” the audience sees how two men can care for each other through something they both love.

“That final moment very much feels like going home in that way,” Johnson said. “It always affects me very deeply, and it always surprises me.”

Published on March 6, 2025 at 1:25 am