NBA fans can be brutal on social media when a nerve is struck. One constant source of criticism or praise is Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. Over the years, it has become a well-known joke online that James has a habit of embellishing or adding extra spice to his stories and sports takes.
On a recent episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast, James took a trip down memory lane and spoke candidly about how he unlocked his championship mindset.
What Events Led to LeBron James Unlocking His “Championship Mindset?”
There has never been a player who entered the NBA with loftier expectations than James in 2003, and it didn’t take long for him to prove he belonged among the elite. It took just four seasons for James to reach his first NBA Finals, where the San Antonio Spurs promptly swept his Cleveland Cavaliers team.
“I thought when I took my team to the Finals in [2007], I believe at age 22, I was going to do that for the next three or four years,” James said during his podcast.
“Like, I was like, okay, just maybe give me one more piece. You know, and at 23, I got to the postseason and lost in the second round. And then, 24, I got there. I got to the Eastern Conference Finals or vice versa.”
“I didn’t get back into the Finals until 2011, five years later. I just thought it was going to happen like that. Part of it was me being young. You play some superior teams, but at the end of the day I don’t think that my process was where it needed to be. Or even if I had enough time for my process to be where I needed to be.”
James continued, “I didn’t win a championship until I finally was understanding and had the ability, as far as my capacity, to understand the process, to unlock the process and then go after it and to stay there, stay that course.”
Lebron CAPPING again talking about he unlocked the process to win, Nah mf Wade,Bosh,Kyrie,Love, and AD unlocked the process for your frontrunning ass to win pic.twitter.com/mEhTXQ1QyD
— Thetruth (@Thetruth8240) April 2, 2025
The quote immediately set off a firestorm of criticism and jokes. Some fans blasted James for not crediting former teammates for helping him win titles. Others accused him of constantly exaggerating his stories to make himself a larger-than-life figure. Even “Mind the Game” co-host, NBA legend Steve Nash, caught some stray backlash too.
One fan commented, “This is seriously cringe.” Another wrote, “This fraud is extremely cringe.”
One fan even questioned the whole idea, writing, “He unlocked the process and stayed the course. Weird way of saying he teamed up with superstars the rest of his career.”
He unlocked the process and stayed the course. Weird way of saying he teamed up with superstars the rest of his career 😂
— Chris (@NBABoxingfan) April 2, 2025
One commenter even went after Nash, saying, “Steve Nash nodding and saying, ‘Yup,'” alongside a meme pointing out Nash had zero championships in his career. Another user joked: “Can we get a Lance Armstrong interview with LeBron James?”
What Is LeBron James’ Playoff Legacy?
Over 22 seasons, James has missed the playoffs only four times — 2004, 2005, 2019, and 2022. The future Hall of Famer has won four NBA championships, with four NBA Finals MVPs. He’s reached the Finals 10 times. In 267 playoff games, James has averaged 28.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. Jokes or not, James’ playoff success speaks for itself.
James’ Lakers are currently fourth in the Western Conference standings as the regular season winds down.