Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich always held LeBron James in high esteem. However, that respect apparently manifested as fear when the Spurs played the LA Lakers in 2018.
James is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. As the all-time top scorer and among many other things, James has earned the respect of players and coaches alike.
James has been in the NBA for 20 years and has spent a lot of time playing against multiple teams and coaches. One particular coach who has seen LeBron morph into the character he is today is Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
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Since James spent most of his career in the East, LeBron and Pop only faced each other a handful of times during the regular season. However, the finals battles between Popovich’s Spurs teams and LeBron’s Cavaliers and Heat teams were reason for the two to respect each other.
That dynamic shifted slightly in 2018 when James shocked the world by coming to the West Coast and joining the LA Lakers. James’ arrival practically rocked the league at the time and it definitely had an impact on Popovich.
In 2018, Gregg Popovich shared a hilarious remark about meeting LeBron James and the LA Lakers in LA. He said:
“It was horrific to see LeBron’s face outside my hotel room.” said Popovich. “It was a big picture of him. Last night and all day today I gotta see this guy putting on his headphones. He’s already big and now he’s monstrous. I was scared to death. I was afraid to look out of my room.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on LeBron James & his Beats billboard in LA: “It was horrific to see LeBron’s face outside my hotel room… He’s already big and now he’s monstrous. I scared myself to death.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on LeBron James & his Beats billboard in LA: “It was horrific to see LeBron’s face outside my hotel room… He’s already big and now he’s monstrous. I scared myself to death.”
LA went above and beyond to show James their love upon arrival. That meant billboards and murals everywhere. Needless to say, the impact on anyone passing by could be drastic.
Popovich’s Spurs eventually prevailed during the game in LA. However, LeBron was still in the early stages of cementing his legacy as a Laker.
LeBron James is a force to be reckoned with
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James has often been criticized for not being “feared” among players in the NBA. However, several coaches, analysts and other players have come forward to deny this statement.
Read: “I personally know people who were afraid of LeBron James” – Draymond Green counters Mario Chalmers’ statement “Nobody fears Bron”.
Gregg Popovich has repeatedly mentioned how difficult it is to train against James. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr echoed that sentiment after repeatedly facing off against the superstar in the NBA Finals.
“Players are not afraid of Bron”.
what would you call it?
“Players are not afraid of Bron”. what would you call that
James’ mere presence on the pitch makes him an offensive threat. As a prolific goalscorer and playmaker, LeBron is able to create chances for himself and everyone on his team. As if that wasn’t enough, his basketball IQ only adds to the overall package.
Though the criticism lingers, James seems to have shrugged it off. With the superstar still dominating in 20, LeBron remains a force to be reckoned with.
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