“I’ll start by saying LeBron and I see eye to eye on many things" - Mark Daigneault concurs with LeBron James' high praise of OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti
LeBron James of the LA Lakers made headlines during the NBA All-Star Weekend when he praised OKC Thunder (OKC) general manager Sam Presti. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has commented on the same in a recent interview.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Daigneault praised his general manager and explained why James would love to have someone like Presti, who has been the OKC GM since 2007.
"I'll start by saying LeBron and I see eye to eye on many things. Including that one; I have a lot of respect for Sam as well. A lot of my appreciation for Sam comes in the nuances of working with him. I think people that are great at what they do and that are great craftsmen; they’re good because of what’s invisible," Daigneault said.
Mark Daigneault on LeBron James talking about Sam Presti “LeBron and I see eye to eye on many things. Including that.”
Sam Presti is currently the longest-tenured general manager in the NBA. A product of the San Antonio Spurs' front office, Presti is one of the most respected executives in the league. Some of the players he drafted include Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams and Josh Giddey.
Presti has also amassed an absurd number of first-round picks (20) till the 2028 NBA draft. The Thunder also have one of the best young cores in the league, with players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Aleksej Pokusevski.
“I think in a few years, me and Shai can be one of the best backcourts in the league.” - Josh Giddey on SGA 👀 https://t.co/9GsySlBQxS
What did LeBron James say about Sam Presti?
In a press conference during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend, LeBron James, in a question about Josh Giddey, heaped praise on Sam Presti.
That was notable, as there are rumors about a possible rift between James' representative Klutch Sports and the Lakers' front office headed by general manager Rob Pelinka.
"The MVP over there is Sam Presti. He the MVP. I mean, Josh Giddey is great, but Sam Presti. I don't understand this guy's eye for talent. He drafted KD, Russ, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey, and the list goes on and on and on. This guy's pretty damn good," James said.
The comments came just a few weeks after the LA Lakers failed to make any changes to their roster at the trade deadline.
The praise for Sam Presti was also not the only shot James apparently directed at Rob Pelinka. In a post on Twitter, James also expressed his admiration for the job done by Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead for winning the Super Bowl.
LEGEND! My type of guy!! twitter.com/SInow/status/1…
According to Ric Bucher of Fox Sports, James reportedly wanted Sam Presti to become the new Lakers general manager and replace Rob Pelinka. With the season all but lost for the Lakers, it will be interesting to see what's in store for the team and James this summer.