Even at 39, LeBron James remains the top dog on any team he’s on. In a straw poll conducted by The Athletic, players at the Team USA camp in Las Vegas anointed the Los Angeles Lakers superstar as the best player on the Olympics roster. The four-time NBA champion winning the poll left Skip Bayless astonished and impressed, prompting him to praise the veteran forward.
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On Undisputed, the FS1 host discussed LeBron’s latest feat at length. Bayless also broke down the elements of James’ game that allowed him to dominate in a team full of All-Stars, even at 39. Bayless said,
“When you are going on 40, and you’ve played 21 years and you can walk on that floor and it’s just five sessions… And you can get voted the best player on the floor, that’s significant. It’s why he is doing it at a high level for so long because he’s in great condition and he takes it extremely seriously.”
The 72-year-old added that he watched Team USA’s scrimmage and was impressed by James’ efforts on the court. The four-time NBA champion yelled instructions at his teammates, directed traffic, and looked eager to win. The analyst noted that the veteran’s instinct to take responsibility helped him win the poll and rightfully be deemed the best player on the team.
.@RealSkipBayless is surprised and extremely impressed with LeBron being voted as Team USA’s best player: pic.twitter.com/gB6kFgxQSI
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 10, 2024
Bayless genuinely praising James is a rare sight. The analyst is among his noted critics and never passes on an opportunity to berate the Lakers superstar.
Skip Bayless blamed LeBron James for a loss against the Kings
For instance, when the Sacramento Kings thrashed the Lakers 120-107 and recorded their fifth straight win over the 17-time champions, Bayless heavily critiqued James’ performance.
The forward finished the game with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, but the analyst was fixated on his five turnovers, including three in the third. On Undisputed, Bayless spoke at length about James’ third-quarter performance and cited it as the reason for the loss. He said,
“This is the third LeBron turnover that led to a 14-point lead. And I am saying when this happened, this is LeBron Bleeping James.”
While James’ performance looked great on paper, he did have an underwhelming night by his lofty standards. However, he was far from the only reason for the loss. However, his erroneous performance in the third quarter was all Bayless needed to berate the forward. The analyst’s rant about James was more in line with his usual feelings about the four-time Finals MVP.
