Watch: LeBron James links up with former Heat teammate and his family ahead of Lakers vs. Pacers
LeBron James lived up to the hype and even surpassed all the expectations that were put on his shoulders. James is arguably the greatest No.1 pick in NBA history. However, his former teammate Greg Oden, who was the No.1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, had a short career.
Oden was in attendance at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. He was here to attend the game between the Indiana Pacers and the LA Lakers. He was attending the game with his wife Sabrina and his daughter Londyn. The Lakers star spoke to them before the tip-off.
James was seen shaking hands with Oden’s wife and his daughter. He later called Oden’s daughter to take a picture with him. She also had James autograph one of his jerseys that she had brought with her. The old teammates also shared some laughter together before James went back to practice on the court.
Oden was active in the NBA for six seasons. However, he played only three seasons. He played for the Trail Blazers in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. He played his last season with James and the Miami Heat in 2013-14. Oden’s career was cut short by a series of injuries.
LeBron James and the Lakers are facing the Indiana Pacers today. In the high-stake game, the Lakers will try to get over the Pacers' hump in their bid to qualify for the playoffs.
LeBron James' former Miami Heat teammate says the Lakers star loves competition
There has never been a doubt about LeBron James' greatness as a basketball player. He is the most complete athlete to ever walk on the basketball court. However, he has been regularly discredited for having a competitive mind.
James has been criticized for avoiding confrontation and not answering back to his critics on the court. However, his former teammate Ray Allen doesn’t think James avoids any kind of competition, even in the areas where he is not the best in the business.
Allen was on JJ Reddick’s “Old Man and The Three” podcast. He told Reddick that, when James was in Miami, he used to challenge his teammates to free-throw competitions.
"In Boston, everyone was typically able to shoot and do their own thing," Allen said. "In Miami, it was interesting because LeBron always wanted the smoke. LeBron was always like, 'Come on. Let's go shoot free-throws,' and it was a competition."
There is a big narrative in the NBA that says LeBron James doesn’t punish his trash-talkers on the court and often avoids going one-on-one with another great player. However, it is far from the truth because the Lakers star has a non-conventional way of handling the high-stakes situation.
Ray Allen and LeBron James played two seasons together with the Miami Heat. They won a title together when they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA finals in 2013.