LeBron James: Playing in bubble 'most challenging thing I've ever done'
LeBron James has been through just about every experience an NBA player can possibly have, but he says that playing in the bubble has been the hardest thing he's faced in his 17-year career.
"It's probably been the most challenging thing I've ever done, as far as a professional, as far as committing to something and actually making it work," LeBron told reporters.
LeBron is hardly the only player to speak out about the challenge of playing in the bubble for several months as players were forced to be away from their families and try to finish a basketball season during a global pandemic and nationwide protests against racial injustice. NBA Players Association president Chris Paul spoke about how the bubble had "weighed on guys heavily."
"The intensity of the game is real... We were away from our families and all this stuff is going on and it weighed on guys heavily. If you saw Jamal Murray when he had that unbelievable game in the playoffs, he was in tears. Because we all human beings, right? Yes, we're talented. Yes, we like to play the game that we love... But as soon as these games are over, we go back to being regular people with our families with wives, with kids, whatever it may be."
Despite the struggle, LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly impressive during their time in Orlando. They have comfortably beaten the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets in five games and are now just four wins away from a championship. But even with LeBron and Co. making it look so easy, his words are a reminder of just how grueling the bubble has been for everyone involved.
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