LeBron James' 23rd NBA season is off to a precarious start as he will miss a regular-season opener for the first time because of a sciatic nerve injury. The soon-to-be 41-year-old still commands the attention of the league, but how much of that focus will be about his on-court exploits this season instead of retirement chatter? James was already nursing a knee injury in the playoffs last season.
EXACTLY ONE HOUR before the tipoff of the gold medal game last summer in Paris, when Olympic rules dictated players could come onto the court for warmups, an unlikely duo was the first to hit the floor. Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James, all business, worked through their pregame routine, Team USA's assistant coach putting the player through the paces. It was a common sight all summer, Spoelstra and James working together individually,
No one has ever called LeBron James underrated. But the NBA star wasn't always on top, particularly outside of basketball. He's been questioned and critiqued for his pursuits in philanthropy, education, business, and entertainment. That's part of why he founded the media brand Uninterrupted, with the tagline "More Than an Athlete," answering critics who told him to shut up and dribble whenever his opinions ventured beyond the court.
"It's not every day you get to play against, let alone with, one of the greatest players to ever play this game. We all know his IQ of this game is ridiculous and playing against him you see it tenfold. To be able to be on the other side to witness it and benefit from it instead of him taking me out with it on the defensive end, just to be able to soak it all in like a sponge is an opportunity I'm blessed to have."