James Gandolfini Reprised Tony Soprano in 2010 to Help Recruit LeBron James to the Knicks — the Video Footage Has Debuted Online After 14 Years

“The Sopranos” fans got thrown a curveball in 2021 when Edie Falco revealed for the first time on an Atlantic podcast that she once reunited with James Gandolfini to reprise Tony and Carmela Soprano for a bizarre clip set two years after the events of the series finale, which infamously ended with a cut-to-black that left Tony’s fate in the balance. The purpose of the clip was to help the New York Knicks basketball organization lure LeBron James to the team.

Gandolfini and Falco shot the “Sopranos” reunion in 2010 as James was becoming a free agent after his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers expired. All of the top teams in the NBA wanted James, and the Knicks came up with the idea to make a short film with “The Sopranos” stars to help sell James on the Big Apple. The video also included appearances by Chris Rock, Mike Bloomberg, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Spike Lee and more.

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While Falco revealed the existence of the clip in 2021, footage from it has never been found its way online until now. On the latest episode of reporter Pablo Torre’s “Finds Out” podcast, he finally played the unearthed footage of Gandolfini and Falco’s unexpected “Sopranos” reunion.

“Tony, I’m so glad we moved to New York. Life is so much better now,” Carmela tells her husband two years after the “Sopranos” finale.

“Yeah life is good here now,” Tony replies. “Even if we are in the witness protection program.”

“Now we just have to find a place for your friend LeBron to live. What’s he like?” Carmela asks.

“He’s a modern guy, but he expects tradition,” Tony answers as the two proceed to discuss what kind of apartment LeBron should move into and in what New York City neighborhood.

In her 2021 podcast interview, Falco remembered being surprised that Gandolfini agreed to reprise Tony Soprano for the cause of getting James to become a New York Knick. She said her co-star often turned down requests to play his iconic character.

“We got those requests all the time back then and [James] Gandolfini, he did nothing,” Falco said then. “And somehow, he agreed to this thing, which I was shocked by. I thought it was a prank when someone said he’s going to do it…[and then] there he was, dressed as Tony. He must have been a bigger basketball fan than I realized.”

The video did not work, as James decided to take his talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat instead of the New York Knicks.

“I couldn’t believe that it didn’t work,” Falco said. “Not so much because of ‘The Sopranos.’ I just thought, it’s New York. How does anyone say no to New York, for God’s sake? But he did!”

“The Sopranos” ended its run in 2007 after six seasons and 86 episodes. The show won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards across its run. Watch the unearthed footage of Tony and Carmela talking about LeBron James in the video below.

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