LeBron James is probably the most scrutinized athlete on the planet right now. So sharing the court with him might also attract some of that onto other players. During an interview last year, JR Smith talked about the pressure of being LeBron’s teammate in a Championship caliber team, especially the “older version” of him. Smith detailed how being Bron’s teammate is not always sunshine and rainbows for many athletes.
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In a recently resurfaced clip of the interview on Instagram, Smith could be seen saying, “Honestly, it’s a gift and a curse playing with Bron. I love Bron to death, 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…not help him win?”. The ex-NBA star presented the opportunity to play with LeBron as a double-edged sword where on one side, you get to play with one of the greatest of all time, and on the other, your mistakes are scrutinized more than his.
“Don’t get me wrong, like, yes he [Bron] had 40, 15, 9, and 8 but he missed a free throw too. Like don’t just look at me because I missed an open shot. We all missing out here,” Smith continued. The 2x NBA champion stated that one has to be “built for that” to survive such an environment, otherwise it’ll be a tough ride.
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Smith was part of LeBron’s 2016, and 2020 championship runs with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers respectively. So, he knows what he is talking about. Whenever the King’s name is involved in a Championship series, the media feels free to spin different kinds of narratives on Bron’s legacy. And often role players are used as pawns in these debates to substantiate hot takes and bold opinions. While playing with the King brings lots of opportunities and substantial limelight, it also has its pitfalls.
In fact, Smith is not the only athlete who feels this way.
Ex-NBA star broke down why LeBron James’ teammates have to struggle
Retired NBA star Kendall Gill, who never shared the stage with the 20x NBA All-Star, once empathized with players like Russell Westbrook who had to take the backseat due to LeBron’s presence. Gill said, “It’s very hard to play with LeBron James. The reason why is because you have to completely change your game. LeBron is really the de facto point guard even though he’s six-foot-nine, 270 pounds, he’s going to have the basketball most of the time”. The 55-year-old said that only players like Kyrie Irving could thrive in that setup because he is brilliant on the offensive end.
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It doesn’t take much to understand that if LeBron is part of a team, the structure will be built around him. That’s one of the perks of being a great ball player. However, a team is made up of several great players and unfortunately, they have to fall in line in order to accommodate the needs of the superstar.
