“They got to touch LeBron James” - Draymond Green says he could see and feel the awe in the kids’ eyes as they got to see LeBron up close, says, growing up in Saginaw, NBA players were surreal to him
The basketball world was excited when LeBron James participated in the famous Drew League in Los Angeles. After the initial announcement, fans lined up around the corner to get a chance to watch the LA Lakers superstar.
It was a special moment for the community, as James put on a show in a packed gym. Despite getting ready for his 20th season in the NBA, James jumped at the opportunity to play in front of the Southern California crowd. James wasn't alone, as Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan also participated in the game.
One of those fans was none other than Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who had a front row seat. On "The Draymond Green Show," the Warriors forward was joined by DeRozan and described how special the moment was for the community.
"As someone who's not a local here, what I saw was like you just said, kids that will never in their life have the opportunity to watch you play have the opportunity to watch LeBron James play, and, like, I could feel that. Like, you could see that.
"You could see the reactions on their faces and to allow the city to touch him. ... Growing up, for me – and I'm sure is the same way for you, maybe possibly a little different for you because it's bigger around you as opposed to me growing up in Saginaw (Michigan) – NBA players were surreal to me.
"They weren't real people. Like, somebody you watched play basketball on TV and, like, wow, that's incredible. Like, I want to do that one day, but no clue how to get there. What I saw from those kids was, like, they got to touch you. They got to touch LeBron James."
LeBron James looks ahead for big upcoming season
After his Drew League outing had the basketball world buzzing, LeBron James is getting ready for the upcoming season. It will be a crucial one for James and the LA Lakers as the team looks to bounce back.
After the Lakers' disappointing season, fans have been waiting to see what type of product the Lakers can put on the court this year. With LeBron still able to be dominant, there's a chance that the Lakers could contend in the Western Conference.
"Just to see the kids out there being able to see @KingJames come play in Compton, you cannot beat that"
—@DeMar_DeRozan speaks with @Money23Green on the significance of LeBron playing at the Drew League https://t.co/ekn4vLu221
James is set to turn 38 in December but is still playing at a high level. Last season, James averaged 30.3 points per game while shooting 52.4%.