"We talk about f**king Michael Jordan" - LeBron James' ex-teammate gets 100% real about NBA stars avoiding face of the league pressure
LeBron James' former teammate, Channing Frye, shared his thoughts on the conversations about the face of the league.
During Friday's "Road Trippin' Show," the former NBA big man said that talking about past legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant "killed" the league.
"Nostalgia is killing the NBA," Frye said. "The 90s basketball, Michael Jordan and Kobe was not as clean as y'all think it was. Y'all forget that Jordan left the league for two years. Y'all forget that Kobe, rest in peace, quit on his team in the playoffs and did not shoot the basketball. So, all these Kobe-Jordan, he's not this, he's not that, that is propaganda."
He called comparing the league's current stars like James, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama, among others, to former players as unfair and ridiculous. For the 41-year-old, this is why nobody wants to be the face of the league.
"Every great player... you know they compare him to? A motherf**ker 40 years ago," Frye added. "Nobody celebrates these new people. So, why the f**k would anybody wanna be the face of this league? We're gonna get s**tted on every network for not being somebody from 40 f**king years ago. It's ridiculous. It is unfair."
Frye further expressed his frustrations about the constant discussion of six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan when some of the greatest players ever are in the present. He mentioned Curry, Giannis Antetonkounmpo, Nikola Jokic and his former teammate James.
"You know what we do? We talking about f**king Michael Jordan," Frye said. "All these superstar era s**t is over. The hard cap, called the second apron, it's over. Teams are gonna take over."
The podcast posted a clip on X (formerly Twitter).
"Road Trippin' Show," a podcast about the NBA, is hosted by Frye, Allie Clifton and former players Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins.
The 7-foot Frye played in the NBA for 13 seasons and won a championship with LeBron James in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron James receives praise from JJ Redick
LA Lakers coach JJ Redick praised his superstar, LeBron James, following Thursday's win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
On the second night of a back-to-back, the 40-year-old James scored 40 points and played 35 minutes. Redick credited James' mentality for his several strong performances in his 22nd season in the league.
"He really just defies anything that's normal, and not just physical feats and the plays. It's the mentality," Redick said. "He's a billionaire and he's playing the second night of a back-to-back, 22 years, every accolade."
LeBron James also had eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. With the win, the Lakers (33-21) strengthened its hold of the fifth seed in the competitive Western Conference.