Regardless of your personal feelings about him, it’s hard to deny that LeBron James is one of the smartest active basketball players in the NBA. The fact that he’s balling out for the Los Angeles Lakers at 39 years old is a testament to his intelligence regarding maximizing his declining athleticism and taking care of his body.
He also showed in his interviews throughout the years that he has an exceptional mind when dissecting the X’s and O’s of the game. He tends to get so nerdy that even the most casual fans find it hard to relate to.
This is why it wasn’t that much of a surprise when James’ first foray into podcasting allowed him to get as specific about the game as he wanted. While the podcast was well-received by fans, people still wanted to know why James decided to get into the podcast game while his Lakers are still doing everything they can to book their playoff tickets.
LeBron James reveals reason for starting podcast in 2024
There were plenty of talking points for King James after his Lakers beat the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling game. However, it was unavoidable that the press would also ask him about his Mind the Game podcast with former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick.
He explained his logic behind the decision to launch the podcast, as reported by Basketball Forever’s Sam Pasfield:
“I feel like we was losing the essence of the game of basketball and the true meaning behind the game,” James told reporters after the Lakers’ 150-145 win against the Pacers on Sunday “… I was getting very frustrated with the daily comparisons every single day. You know who’s better between you and Dave McMenamin or how does this affect your legacy… It’s not good for the youth. “…you’re hearing it everyday on national television and I feel like our audience needed a different approach and to understand what really the true essence of the game is..how I fell in love with the game.”
Indeed, discussions about the NBA are slowly becoming less about the actual game and more about the personalities that make the highlights we enjoy possible. While there is still plenty of coverage about the schematics of the game, it’s become second fiddle to the narratives and dramas surrounding the league’s stars.
By starting the podcast, LeBron James is hoping some of the attention will be brought back to the game while also educating the newer generations of fans about the details that make basketball such a great sport to watch.
Will the Los Angeles Lakers book an automatic playoff berth?
While the Los Angeles Lakers did win against the Pacers, their hopes to make the playoffs are still far from secure. As it stands, they’re ninth in the Western Conference standings and will likely have to fight it out in the play-in tournament to even make the first round.
James has been playing solid basketball this season, with season averages of 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.0 assists on 53%/41%/75% shooting splits. But with many of their key contributors injured, it will be tough for the King to drag the Lakers back to a deep playoff run.
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