LeBron James recently admitted that he can pretty much sense if a rookie is going to hold his position in the game or not. After being in the league for over two decades and being a practitioner of the craft for another 10 years, it’s easy for LeBron to spot if someone is going to have a bright future in the NBA or not. On the recent episode of the Mind the Game Pod, co-hosts JJ Redick and LeBron shared their experiences on the same.
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At the very beginning of the podcast, Redick asked LeBron if he could also sense the potential of a new player within the first few days of his arrival in the league. The 20-time All-Star said, “Absolutely”, before listing out the markers that hint towards a rookie’s bright future. According to LeBron, if a rookie can tolerate the pressure put on him by the coaches and the veterans on the team, it indicates that he’s mentally prepared for the challenges ahead.
In his experience, the players who don’t give up easily and can really absorb all the drills they’re put through are in for a long haul. The four-time NBA Champion added, “There’s no snickering, there’s no back talk…They’re [the rookie in question] like, ‘Just keep on coming. I wanna see how much I can [endure]’…That’s when you know he’s going to be in this league for a long time.”
As per Redick’s experience in the league, if a rookie has an element of fear, not the kind that makes him tremble on the court, but the fear of rules in the camp and showing up to work on time, that creates a perfect launching pad for the new talent. The 39-year-old said that these seemingly small habits in an athlete create the giant that one can become in the league while playing at the highest level. So, for any budding talent out there, these elements are necessary to pursue basketball at the highest level.
LeBron James built the right culture in Cleveland
When he entered the league in 2003, LeBron had a kind of pressure on him that was largely unknown to any other athlete. However, he did not only manage to live up to those expectations but also stood the test of time. As an 18-year-old playing for the Cavs, the first thing he noticed is that there is no culture in that team and despite being a youngster he took the task on himself.
LeBron had said at the time, “I can go back to when I was drafted at 18 and made my debut with Cleveland. You know, there wasn’t any culture. You know, and that’s no knock on anybody that was there or whatever the case may be, but there was no culture. And I felt like it was my job as an 18-year-old to try to build the culture, which is kind of unfair, but it is what it is.” To have that mentality to lead a group at such a young age is what made him the superstar he is today. And he can now sense that potential and drive in other young players as well.
