As time passed and he got older, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had to adjust his game to the new era. Before heading into his 21st season in the league, James clearly identified his jump shot as something that needed to improve.
While the four-time champion is still able to get downhill, he cannot make that the vocal point of his game anymore if he wants to stay healthy. Now that the 2023-24 season is over, James was successful in his approach as he shot a career-high 41% from 3-point range on 5.1 attempts, providing some much-needed spacing for L.A.
In recent years, the 3-point shot has become an integral part of the game as essentially every player needs to be able to shoot a respectable percentage. However, when discussing this topic of increased 3-point output on his podcast Mind the Game with JJ Redick, James explained why he does not want to shoot more triples despite his coaches constantly telling him to:
“I can sit here and tell you that I definitely have some of our coaches on our coaching staff, they want me to shoot more 3s. They’re encouraging it, encouraging me to shoot more 3s. I can’t do it, I can’t get to that. I can’t get to that point. No, it’s not an ego thing, it’s not an ego thing. It’s like, I’m not putting enough pressure on the defense if I’m shooting 12-14 3s a game. If I’m shooting 12-14 3s a game, I feel like I can hit six or seven of them. If I’m f***ing off, off, then three or four of them. But I can shoot at a high clip if I’m shooting 14 a game, I’m gonna get in a rhythm. But I’m not putting pressure on the defense, and that’s not me. I got to put pressure on the defense, like if we have the guys already on our team shooting a bunch of 3s, which is OK, like I love that, there has to be some pressure on the rim. I have to put some fear in the defense that you’re not about to make me just shoot all jump shots, even if I’m shooting it well.”
Despite being 39-years-old, it is remarkable that James can still get to the basket whenever he wants and wants to keep that physical style of play despite his age.
While it is great to see James’ game evolve as he nears the end of his career, every team needs a player who can apply rim pressure and fortunately for L.A., they have one of the best drivers the game has ever seen.
LeBron James was most viewed player on NBA social during 2023-24 season
While the new era of the NBA is ushering in a ton of young talent and rising stars, the Lakers star is hanging around the top players in the league. LeBron James’ popularity has not wavered as it was revealed that he was the most viewed player on NBA social media during the 2023-24 season.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
