Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James thinks that his sharp basketball mind has helped him not have to be as physically imposing at this stage of his career.
(via Grant Afseth):
Dan Woike: “LeBron, in year 21, how are the ways that you affect the game? How has that changed in terms of both methods and frequency? And how has that affected the players around you, and has it given guys opportunities to maybe take on more roles, bigger opportunities?”
James: “I think for me, I can affect the game in a lot of ways. At this point in my career, it’s still the same way. I can affect the game by being on the ball, being off the ball, cutting from the weak side, slashing from the weak side, running in transition. I have the ability to shoot the ball in space at more frequency at more high level than I was early in my career. So I’ve worked on that, but my mind is just sharper than anything. It’s allowed me to go out there and sometimes just outthink the game and not have to physically be imposing out on the floor for 40 minutes or 42, whatever the case may be that I’m out there. I can pick my spots. When I need to be more aggressive offensively or less aggressive and allow guys like D-Lo [D’Angelo Russell] and AR [Austin Reaves] to run the team, and I can play off the ball, whatever the case may be. Being able to have a dominant threat like AD [Anthony Davis] and being able to throw the ball to him and just kind of wait to see what the defense is going to do and play off with that. I guess I’m just a lot smarter than I was in my first ten years compared to these last ten years.”
