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LeBron James: I've Realized Players Only Watch Highlights and Don't Watch Basketball

Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVMay 1, 2024

DENVER, CO - APRIL 29: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks at a press conference after the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Five of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on April 29, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

LeBron James has a simple solution for why players make mental errors on the court: They're not students of the game.

"They don't watch basketball. It's that simple. I've realized they only watch highlights, and they don't watch basketball," James said on his Mind the Game podcast with J.J. Redick (50:25 mark).

James made the comment as he and Redick were breaking down play the Golden State Warriors run for Klay Thompson, with both being befuddled at why defenders not cutting off at the top block to prevent Thompson from hitting an open three.

While it's a nuanced conversation, it's one that James and Redick feel more players should understand.

"If Klay is underneath the charge block, are you thinking he's gonna stay down there?" a perplexed James asked.

James is one of the greatest students of basketball in NBA history. His basketball IQ is off the charts, so it's fair to wonder if he picks up on these things better than other players, but more commitment in the film room could help other players pick up on these nuances better as well.