"He taught me a lot in terms of leadership" - Tristan Thompson on the lessons he learned from LeBron James during his stint in Cleveland
LeBron James is regarded by many as one of the best players the game of basketball has ever seen. He has won four NBA Championships and a huge part of those triumphs is his ability to lead the team from the front. His performances in the postseason have consistently driven his teams to deep playoff runs. One such brilliant display of LeBron James' leadership came during the 2016 NBA Finals.
LeBron James returned home to Cleveland in 2014 after winning two NBA Championships with the Miami Heat. Although he had already achieved superstar status, winning an NBA Championship for the Cavs was long overdue and James did just that in 2016. Tristan Thompson rolled out at center for the Cavs that season and played an important role in their title success.
The 30-year-old will be seen playing for the Sacramento Kings this season and will be one of the team's leaders. Having played alongside LeBron James, Thompson claims to have learned a lot from the 4-time MVP during their time in Cleveland, the most important of which is leadership. Speaking in a post-practice interview, Thompson said:
"We were in kind of a tough stage, especially with T-Lue going to four straight finals and being in a situation where your best player goes on in free agency to another team. It was kind of a stage where guys had to figure out who was next in line to step up and be that leader, and I took the challenge because I spent a lot of time with LeBron on and off the court, just with our relationship. He taught me a lot in terms of leadership and how to get the best out of each player and understanding personalities.”
Can LeBron James lead the LA Lakers to another NBA Championship triumph?
LeBron James is entering his 19th NBA season with a stacked resume, but his hunger to compete at the top remains as strong as ever. The LA Lakers have assembled a superstar roster this year and will once again be among the favorites to win the championship.
James has been to 10 NBA Finals and has emerged victorious four times. To put his performance in the NBA Finals into numbers, LeBron James has averaged 28.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 7.8 APG in the 55 games he has played.
The same is expected of LeBron James and the LA Lakers this year. Despite having the likes of Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis, the Purple and Gold will need LeBron James to be at his best during the postseason.
Also Read: How much is Tristan Thompson Net Worth in 2021?