Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is praised for numerous attributes on the court, but one of the most valuable is how he helps teammates thrive.
James has managed to drag multiple mediocre rosters to the NBA Finals in his career, including the 2007 and 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers. The 40-year-old likely no longer desires to carry weaker lineups; instead, he wants to compete for his fifth career championship with a strong organization.
When considering where he will finish his time in the league, NBA champion and former teammate of James, Richard Jefferson, had a unique way of explaining the experience of playing alongside the 21-time All-Star.
Why Did LeBron James’ Former Teammate Say It ‘Sucks’ To Play With the Legend?
Jefferson played with James for the Cavaliers in 2016 and 2017, two of their most unique seasons. The former saw Cleveland complete arguably the greatest comeback in NBA history, while the latter saw James haul a considerably weaker rotation to the biggest stage.
It’s safe to say Jefferson has a strong perspective on what going to battle with the four-time MVP is like. With this in mind, it’s quite comical how he went about explaining the cons of playing with James.
“Playing with LeBron sucks because you’re trying to win a championship,” Jefferson said on the “Road Trippin‘” podcast. “He’s one of the most competitive human beings in the history of American sports and sports in general.”
“Does it suck when you’re showing up and he’s already been practicing for four hours?” Jefferson said. “When he’s watching film and you mess up a play? Yeah, those are the cons, but there were cons for playing with players who were so great that they demanded excellence. There’s always cons when you’re trying to win at the highest level.”
Before the offseason, most were confident the Lakers’ phenom would retire in Los Angeles. However, rumors and reports have suggested another outcome could be looming.
The reality is that the Lakers are still a few pieces away from having a serious chance at making it out of the loaded Western Conference. Not to mention, building around Luka Dončić appears to be the front office’s priority rather than contending right now. This is the biggest reason why the public is speculating that James could spend the 2025-2026 season elsewhere.
James and the Lakers may be headed toward a parting of ways, and there may be no better destination for him to win at the highest level than where his NBA career began, Cleveland.
