Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has been elected first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, giving the game’s top player a leadership role in the union.

James was elected unanimously Friday during the union’s annual meeting as part of All-Star weekend.

James will work alongside friend and Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who was elected president of the NBPA last year.

A person familiar with James’ election told The Associated Press that Paul had urged the four-time MVP to take an active role within the union. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity before union executive director Michele Roberts announced the election, said James wanted to be deeply involved in future collective bargaining with the league.

James had considered running to be the president of the union in 2013 but yielded when Paul announced his candidacy.

While this is the first formal leadership role James has served with the union, he has been involved in the players’ plight. He sat in on some negotiations with the league during the 2011 lockout and has also spoken out about his feelings on how the max contract is unfair to him and other star players.

To that end, James signed a one-year deal last summer to return to the Cavs with a player option to ensure he could be a free agent in 2016 when new television revenue is expected to land.

The leadership duo of Paul and James marks a departure from past union regimes, as the last star to helm the organization prior to Paul was Patrick Ewing in 2001. Current New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher was the NBPA president prior to Paul.

Paul and James will work alongside Roberts, who is in her first year in serving as the players union’s executive director.

Free agent Roger Mason Jr. had been serving as first vice president.

Information from ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst and The Associated Press contributed to this report.