LeBron James Admits Older Players Bashing Today’s NBA Game ‘Makes You Not Want To Love The Game You Grew Up Watching’

On the latest episode of his podcast with Steve Nash, “Mind the Game,” Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James admitted that older players bashing today’s NBA game makes him not want to love the game he grew up watching. 

“I loved it growing up. But sometimes, the older generation makes you not want to love the game you grew up watching,” James said. “Like, I grew up loving Knicks vs. Bulls playoff series. Pacers vs. Knicks. I loved that. And even though I never saw MJ (Michael Jordan) live, I’m from a small town outside of Cleveland. When the Cavs got the chance to play him, that was exciting.

“But now, that generation talks so much sh*t about today’s game, it makes you go back and watch those old games and it makes you not even want to appreciate them the way you did as a kid.”

Older players don’t like how today’s players are friends with each other and how guys shoot so many 3s. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, spoke about the friends thing on his podcast. 

“Or like they say, ‘We can’t be friends,’ or, ‘Why are you smiling on the court?’ Then someone pulls a clip of them standing next to an opponent during the Finals, smiling and laughing,” James said. “Like, what the hell? Can we just be honest? If you want your movie, you write your own script.”