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LeBron James Has Request For NBA Inspired by International Play

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan White | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 2:04 PM ET

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer mentioned a couple of strong opinions on the latest episode of the Mind the Game Podcast with Steve Nash.

LeBron James has played more basketball than anyone, giving him a unique perspective on discussing how to improve the sport. James has won championships, gold medals, and almost every individual award you can think of.

He surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar last December for the most minutes played in NBA history, logging over 59,000 total since he entered the league.

It’s safe to say that he’s had his fair share of experience, including on the international stage where James has competed for Team USA during four separate Olympic Games.

FIBA basketball games consist of four 10-minute quarters, totaling 40 minutes, unlike the NBA’s 48 minutes of four 12-minute quarters. Although it’s different, James is intrigued by it.

“The 40-minute game is so intriguing because the game happens so damn fast. There’s no easing into an international game and that gives it a little bit more of a sense of urgency, so that’s something to discuss,” James said.

LeBron thinks the NBA should consider changing games to 40 minutes and adopting FIBA’s goaltending rule.

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“That’d be something we could possibly have a conversation about. It’d be hard because you would start messing with the history of the game and all that stuff. That’s something that could be talked about.”

He brings up a great point about the sense of urgency being higher. With less time in a game, possessions become more valuable because there aren’t as many. A shorter game reduces the margin for error and requires a more concentrated and intense approach, which could either speed up the pace of play or slow it down.

At the same time, NBA games have been 48 minutes for the entirety of the league's 78-year history, and changing it would make the history of the game incomparable to potentially a new era.

Another rule James is fascinated with is the goaltending rule, where in games regulated by FIBA, players are allowed to play the ball after it touches the rim by either swatting it away or helping it go through the hoop.

While both leagues prohibit interference with a shot on its downward flight toward the basket or while it's within the imaginary cylinder above the rim, the international rules add another dimension.

“I’ve been very intrigued with the goaltending rule, I actually love it,” James said. “It’s exciting. It doesn’t happen as much as you would think. And even when you’re playing against the international guys and this is their rule, there’s times when the ball is tinkering around the rim and you kind of get like ‘oh **** I should’ve went and got it… I actually like the goaltending rule, it’s pretty cool."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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