LeBron James’ Season 5 Episode 7 of The Shop had multiple guests, including WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. Currently the head coach of Triplets, Lesie played in the WNBA’s LA Sparks for 11 years. Leslie had the first of her two children in 2007 and took a year’s leave from WNBA.
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The now 50-year-old spoke about a variety of topics, including how pregnancy affected her playing career. The LA Lakers star claimed that the former Center was so good that she could have played while she was pregnant.
LeBron James Has Hilarious Response to Lisa Leslie’s Claim About Retirement
Both LeBron and Draymond Green – the other guest on the night – claimed that they would not choose their children over their NBA career. Maverick Carter, the fellow host alongside LeBron, asked Leslie whether pregnancy had an impact on her decision to retire.
Lisa Leslie claimed that it did and that she had to think twice before going for rebounds in the latter years. In response, LeBron was quick to praise Leslie:
“I feel like you were so good, you could have played with a baby in you.”
The LA Lakers’ superstar went on to joke that Leslie could have been dunking in the WNBA even when she was 8 months pregnant!
James went on to claim that it was due to his wife Savannah, who he met in high school, that he can afford to choose basketball over children. Leslie believes the difference was that she was her family’s, Savannah James.
LeBron James has a heartwarming exchange with Lisa Leslie
The Sparks legend claimed that her body had become less athletic after her pregnancy. She revealed that the situation became worse with time, and she would later wonder why she did not go for a particular rebound.
Still, her numbers seem to reveal a different tale. Her final year before pregnancy, 2006, was the only year in her career that she touched the 20-point mark. Lisa averaged 20 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
While there was some slight regression in the two seasons she played in after her break, she averaged 15.2 points and 8.9 rebounds the season she returned. The following year, she averaged 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, which are phenomenal numbers for a 36-year-old.
Lisa’s overall efficiency saw a slight dip, while her average rebounds also reduced in the two seasons after her first pregnancy. Still, LeBron is not wrong to rate the former WNBA star so highly.
While Leslie herself had a long, successful career, LeBron James has done something similar in the NBA. The 38-year-old is going at a high level and recently led his side past defending champions Golden State Warriors.
The LA Lakers will now face the top seed in the West, Denver Nuggets in the Conference finals. The Nuggets have a young squad with Nikola Jokic as the spearhead and defeated the Phoenix Suns in 6 games.
