We're Going on Two Years of Media Obsession With the Banana Boat Crew Teaming Up

It has barely been two full years since the iconic image of LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union appeared online. The three Olympians were on vacation with their families and Carmelo Anthony who somehow got bumped off the ride, but appeared in other pictures from the trip.

So will the group of friends ever play together? LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the only two to win titles, previously played together in Miami. Carmelo Anthony has remained lost in New York like Kevin McCallister (both have had tremendous individual success, but both seem to struggle in group situations) and Chris Paul has been a Los Angeles Clipper. (Enough said.)

So will the Banana Boat crew ever team up? That’s the question that the media has been asking since July 7th, 2015 when these longtime friends jumped on a pool float together. As recently as today ESPN published a long piece of fan fiction suggesting the various ways the foursome could team up in 2018. The piece offers three scenarios – Houston, New York and Los Angeles, all of which are basically “these guys should all sign in that city where one of them might already be.” It’s got really pretty graphics.

ESPN is far from the first to suggest this super team. Frank Isola dreamed of everyone joining the Knicks in May. The Ringer looked back at all their friendships in October 2016. Then wondered if the group could join together to defeat the Golden State Warriors in February. Matt Moore wondered the same in June. An SB Nation blog laid out a plan for everyone to land in Los Angeles last July.

People love the idea of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul playing together. With LeBron, Wade and CP3 headed to free agency the suggested banana boat super team scenarios will only increase in frequency. Each loss and subtweet will be seen as a sign and an excuse to dream.

Even if they did get together, would it matter? Probably not in terms of titles as long as Golden State remains as currently constructed. Writers often point that out while simultaneously dreaming of the super friends getting together. So why do people love the idea of it happening? Because of one funny image that didn’t even feature one of the guys whose name keeps appearing? It’s a weird obsession.