LeBron James put together another impressive season this year, at least personally, but he prefers to think of himself as more than an athlete. In recent years, he has branched out into acting, business, and social activities.
On Tuesday, he teamed up with former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick to host a new podcast called “Mind the Game.” While he has seemingly a million different podcasts covering professional basketball, some hosted by former players, the fact that James co-hosts this show is , it is sure to attract a lot of viewers.
On the podcast's debut episode, James and Redick talked about a number of interesting issues, including the criticism Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has received.
James seems to embrace all the pressure and history that comes with being a member of the Los Angeles Lakers and the face of a storied franchise. But that didn't prevent him from defending and praising Tatum.
The Celtics forward has been named to five All-Star teams and two All-NBA First Teams, but he could be a true franchise player, especially given his history of underachieving in big games. Some people question whether this is the case. But that's not how James sees it.
Speaking of the Celtics, Rajon Rondo won the NBA championship after defeating Kobe Bryant's Lakers in six games in the 2008 NBA Finals. Years later, he came to the Lakers and played a key role off the bench as the Lakers won it all in 2020.
This allowed James, who lost twice to Rondo's Boston teams, to see the point guard's basketball IQ up close and personal.
When talking about the superstars who have influenced basketball the most, people will mention names like Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Julius Erving. But in this day and age, an argument could be made that Stephen Curry has a lot of influence.
In recent times, Allen Iverson has had a cult following, but it's less because of the way he plays and more because of his immense ridiculousness and “stay real” mentality.
james touched on the topic During the debut episode of “Mind the Game.”
When Redick talked about how in the late 2000s a 19-point lead going into the fourth quarter was considered safe, James said, “You can't do that anymore.” “You know why? Because I believe he's from 2008 to he's 2009, or that little fair skin [expletive] (Curry) came into the league with Golden State and changed that whole narrative. He single-handedly changed the idea that “no-lead is safe.”
“…In terms of influence, I had the biggest impact on the game because I kept watching the game.Of course, we know what Mike (Jordan) did for the game. The two most impactful guys on the team are Steph and Allen Iverson.''This game since I watched and covered it. Allen Iverson and Steph, they were so relatable that kids felt like they could be them. They weren't always relied on, they were short in stature, and they just took on the challenge of adversity. ”
