LeBron James marvels at Max Christie's skills after the young star sinks challenging layup against Anthony Davis
LeBron James is now back in business for his 21st season in the NBA and his fifth season as part of the Los Angeles Lakers. Aiming for another championship, he would need his teammates to step up. On the team's first day of training camp practice, the four-time NBA champion puts Lakers highlights on his Instagram story which included Max Christie scoring a challenging layup against Anthony Davis.
Max Christie is coming in on his second year in the NBA after getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 35th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. In his rookie year, the former Michigan State Spartan scored 3.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 41 games averaging 12 minutes of playing time.
The six-foot-six shooting guard will be playing for a contract year and will be earning $1.017 million for the 2023-24 season.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was given a $186 million, three-year contract extension that would make him suit up the yellow and gold up to the 2027-28 season.
LeBron James has passed the baton to Davis who is now seen the new face of the LA Lakers moving forward.
“He is the face [of the Lakers]," James said at the Lakers' media day on Monday. "You look at all these numbers that surround this facility, all the greats that have come here and AD is one of them."
LeBron James gives an update on Bronny
It was a challenging off-season for LeBron James and his family after Bronny James collapsed during a basketball practice at USC. Since then, the future of LeBron's eldest son is up in the air.
During the Lakers' Media Day, James told the reporters that Bronny is recovering well.
"Bronny is dong well. He has began his rehab process to get back on the floor this season with his teammates in USC," said James.
"[It] was a successful surgery that he had but he's definitely up and up. It's definitely a whirlwind and a lot of emotions for our family this summer but the best thing is we have each other and we stuck behind each other and gave Bronnie strength throughout the whole process," he adds.
WATCH: LeBron James addresses the media on the current condition of Bronny James at the 1:29 mark below
The LA Lakers will be opening their season against the defending champions Denver Nuggets on October 24 and it will be a rematch of the teams that were part of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals.