Having vices is necessary when it comes to staying levelheaded, especially in regards to someone of LeBron James’ stature. Video games turned out to be James’ safe haven in his early years amidst the unprecedented hype he received on a daily basis. Damon Wayans appeared on an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal to talk about the ’03 draftee’s obsession with video games while working on a commercial together.
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While shooting for Nike’s Air Zoom Generation 1, Wayans realized that despite his success at such an early age, LeBron was still a kid at heart. He said that watching him on set was like “watching a big kid.”
LeBron was just 19 years old at the time, so in reality he was just behaving like any other kid of his age. But it’s the star power that made him appear different while doing normal things. Wayans was very pleased by how he conducted himself on set. He said, “He couldn’t wait to get to the video game.”
The 64-year-old said that LeBron was like a “big man-child,” going back to his video games as soon as the director yelled ‘cut.’ As a seasoned veteran, Wayans would’ve preferred if LBJ stayed back to “chop it up.” Regardless of the teenager’s preference, the commercial turned out pretty well.
The commercial shows LeBron making his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers inside a packed arena. With the crowd booing him, he gets into a zone where everything goes to a standstill and he can’t hear the boos anymore. Soon, LeBron snaps out of it, owning the moment, and leaves the spot with a laugh.
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LeBron’s love for video games is well known. The Lakers superstar has been hooked on it since his teenage years. During an interview with PlayStation, he said that video games for him have always been about bringing people together. Although he has always been “super ultra-competitive,” at its core, playing video games is about getting together with friends to have fun.
LeBron revealed that his brother Frankie is his all-time favorite competitor to play against. He said, “I lived with them and his family for a few years. So literally, we were in competition every single day when it came to the gaming world.” While he enjoys the sports genre of video games ranging from racing to golf, Madden is his favorite video game of all time.
The 40-year-old said, “The game I played the most is Madden. I’ve logged that game more than any game in my life. Nothing even compares to come close.” LeBron said that gaming brings out the competitor in him, regardless of who he plays against. He also considers video games to be as effective as morning coffee, which is why “super early in the morning” is his favorite time to play.
