The debate surrounding LeBron James’ GOAT status isn’t just limited to those watching the King play. Even his former teammates and rivals in the league join in, giving reasons both for and against the argument. But more often than not, bias creeps in, and there aren’t many who openly admit it. Kendrick Perkins, however, recently did just that.
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Perkins and James were together on the Cleveland Cavaliers during their time in the NBA. But that’s not where his respect for James first emerged. It was way before the two had turned pro, at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball league. Perkins, who was from Texas teamed up with Bron (from Ohio) on the Oakland Soldiers in California.
There, Perkins saw, first hand, just how much pressure James was always under, even in high school, which was supposedly just a period of time for him to morph into a superstar. Quickly, Perkins understood that James was him.
“That’s why, when the GOAT conversation comes up, I’m biased,” Perkins admitted on Out the Mud podcast. “I’m biased towards LeBron. Meaning that, I’m always gonna pick him. Because I competed against him in A grade. I was on his team, I saw the pressure he was under.”
Bron, even in his teens, was widely considered one of the best ballers in the country. There were future MVP shouts from every corner of the league, and the Cleveland Cavaliers getting the #1 pick in the 2003 Draft was nothing short of a golden ticket for them.
“No other player in sports, f*** basketball, in sports, that was under the amount of pressure like LeBron James. You can’t name,” the former Boston Celtics man added.
James, long before becoming an NBA star, was already doing what the top athletes of the country would. He watched what he was eating, and prepared himself to face the media, who were hugely interested in him. Perkins saw all of that, first hand.
The former NBA champion recalled watching Bron eating grapes, sliced bananas, and sliced apples at a time when everyone around him was scrambling to eat from McDonald’s. “He had a machine,” he stated. “And when we get back to the hotel, he was like ‘Hey Perk, we gotta do this later on,’ and I’m like, ‘Where you going?’, [He said] ‘Oh, I gotta go do media training.”
The fact that from a young age, Bron kept himself so healthy, both physically and mentally, could be the reason why he’s still at the top of his game heading into his 23rd season. Not a lot of time is left before the GOAT (according to Perkins and millions) hangs up his boots. Enjoy him whilst you can.
