Playing with LeBron James ‘a gift and a curse,’ former teammate says
James is in his 20th NBA season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LeBron James has four NBA championships, is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and is widely considered one of the greatest players in league history.
In his 20th NBA season, James has shown few signs of slowing down, averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 47 games.
LeBron James, #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers, handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 23, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBA players all look up to James, but playing with the 19-time All-Star is no walk in the park.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Every season, James expects to contend for a championship, with the pressure on his teammates mounting when losing occurs.
J.R. Smith, who played alongside James with the Cleveland Cavaliers for four seasons, discussed what it was like playing alongside the all-time great on the "Game Theory with Bomani Jones."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Honestly, it’s a gift and a curse with playing with Bron," Smith said. "I love Bron to death and I loved playing on his team because, for me, I feel I thrived more under the pressure. But a lot of guys don’t like it because it can go one of two ways.
"It’s either, what did you not do to help him win? And, who else didn’t help to not help him win?"
LeBron James, #23, and JR Smith, #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers, react as time expries in regulation against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on May 31, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Smith won the 2016 NBA championship with James in Cleveland, becoming the first team to come back from a 3–1 deficit in the NBA Finals.
However, Smith is also remembered for his mental mistake in the 2018 finals, when he ran out the clock in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors with the score tied 107-107.
Cleveland went on to lose Game 1 in overtime, even with James putting forth a Herculean effort, scoring 51 points as the Warriors swept the Cavs in the series.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The supporting cast around James is always scrutinized, with James constantly looking to improve the roster.
LeBron James, #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers, reacts against the Dallas Mavericks for a rebound in the first half at American Airlines Center on Feb. 26, 2023 in Dallas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
With the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022-23 season, James made it clear before the NBA’s trade deadline that upgrading the roster in a push to make the playoffs was paramount.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Lakers did, trading away Russell Westbrook and adding Jarred Vanderbilt, DeAngelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba.
However, LA is still battling for a playoff spot as they await James’ return from a right foot injury.
As is always the case on a team led by James, the spotlight will be on the Lakers – and his teammates – as they make their push for the postseason.