When LeBron James felt like his NBA dream was shattered due to a doctor's statement
Los Angeles Lakers ace LeBron James once revealed in an interview that when he was 11 years old, a doctor told him he would only grow up to be 6'3".
James claimed that the news tore him apart, and he thought his dreams were shattered. At the time, LeBron was an avid fan of Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway, both of whom were significantly taller than 6'3", and the news crushed his dream of becoming a wing player in the NBA:
"When your idols are Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway, you're like [expletive. You're looking on the back of basketball cards and it says M.J. 6-6, Penny Hardaway 6-71/2, Grant Hill 6-8, you're like, 'I'm only going to be 6-3? Golly. My dreams are shattered.' That's how it made me feel."
However, LeBron's growth spurt was just about to take off. He reached six feet in junior high and by the end of his freshman year, he was 6'3". He continued to grow and is now 6'8" and weighs 250 pounds. The doctor's calculations were way off and James became one of the biggest and fastest-moving specimen to ever step foot on a basketball court.
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James faced each other a total of 22 times in NBA games. LeBron James has a 16-6 winning record over Kobe Bryant. They never met in the Playoffs https://t.co/MVk57IFobk
But what if he wasn't blessed with those extra five inches? James said the following:
"I'll still be the same player, I'll just probably be shorter. I'm not sure I'd still have that athleticism as far as how I jump, but as far as my intelligence, my basketball IQ, that wouldn't have changed at all."
LeBron James believes Kevin Durant can break his NBA scoring record
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is closing in on becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record. With this achievement in sight, the conversation has turned to which players in the league have the potential to challenge James' record in the future. When asked about this topic, James had a few guesses of his own.
"Kevin Durant is the first one who comes to mind, for sure. His name is not 'Easy Money' and 'Slim Reaper' for no reason. He does it so effortlessly. His ability to shoot the 3-ball, shoot the midrange, get to the paint, and also shoot 85 to 90 percent from the free throw line. Those are key ingredients, plus the most important is about being available on the floor."
James also mentioned other players like Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo as potential contenders for the scoring record. However, he emphasized that health and luck play a crucial role in a player's ability to consistently score and stay on the floor.
Kevin Durant is considered a strong candidate to challenge James' record in the future. He currently sits 14th on the all-time scoring list with over 26,600 points and at 34 years old, he is still one of the NBA's best scorers. With his reliance on size and shooting stroke, Durant is expected to continue scoring at a high level, even as he loses athleticism with age.
"The scoring record was never ever even thought of in my head because I've always been a pass-first guy. I've always loved seeing the success of my teammates."
LeBron James on where he would rank breaking the all-time scoring record in his career
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While other players like Doncic, Embiid, Irving, and Antetokounmpo are also elite scorers, they still have a long way to go before they can be considered as serious threats for the scoring crown, especially since LeBron is expected to continue adding to his tally as well.