D’Angelo Russell’s 26-Point Outburst and LeBron James’ Leadership Propel Lakers to Statement Win over Western Conference-Leading Thunder.

D´Angelo Russell hit five 3-pointers while scoring 26 points, and Anthony Davis added 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

LeBron James had 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the Lakers’ 10th victory in 14 games. Austin Reaves added 16 points while hitting four 3s for the Lakers, who won their third straight meeting with the Western Conference-leading Thunder to take the season series.

In his first game since scoring his record 40,000th career point in a loss to Denver, James nearly got a triple-double before the Lakers´ big lead allowed him to sit out the final six minutes. Davis was able to sit out the entire fourth quarter when the Lakers hit six 3-pointers in quick succession during his absence, boosting their lead to 25 points.

 

Russell punctuated the Lakers’ decisive rally by hitting 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions with increasing theatrics. He got a standing ovation from the Lakers’ crowd when the third 3-pointer with 9:06 to play left him sprawled on his back from uncalled defensive contact, putting the Lakers up 103-79.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points – ending his streak of eight consecutive 30-point games – for the Thunder, who lost for only the second time in nine games. Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren added 15 points apiece.

Oklahoma City hit a season-low 30.6% of its shots in the first half while playing on possibly weary legs during the third stop of a four-game road trip that included a tough win at Phoenix on Sunday.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, center, works for a rebound between Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and forward Anthony Davis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

 

Both teams weren’t in top form in the first half. The Thunder jumped to a quick 12-point lead, but then fell into a 2-for-21 shooting slump that allowed the Lakers to take a double-digit lead despite committing 12 turnovers.

Oklahoma City big man Jaylin Williams missed his second straight game with a sprained left knee.

Harry Giles III made his Lakers debut in the final minutes.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, right, right, is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince (12) blocks a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts after a 3-point basket by guard Luguentz Dort during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Why the 40,000-Point Club, Led by LeBron James, Will Likely Remain Untouched for an Extended Period, If Not Permanently.

Never say never. There´s a slim chance that one day someone will join LeBron James in the NBA´s 40,000-point club.

James crossed the 40,000-point mark on Saturday night, extending the NBA all-time scoring record that he claimed from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last season.

James already has added about 1,700 points of distance between himself and Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 38,387. It might be time to add James’ NBA scoring record to the list of “records that never will be broken,” like Cal Ripken´s 2,632 consecutive games played in baseball, Wayne Gretzky´s 2,857 points in the NHL or the UConn women´s basketball team winning 111 consecutive games.

 

Wilt Chamberlain once averaged 50.4 points in a season in the NBA. Nobody else ever has come close to that. The highest any other player averaged in a full season was Elgin Baylor´s 38.3 per game; if someone averaged that much for an entire career, they would have had to play all 82 games for almost 13 seasons just to get to get to 40,000 points.

“Nobody will ever, ever touch it,” Miami forward Kevin Love, one of James’ former Cleveland teammates, said last year when James broke Abdul-Jabbar´s record.

And remember, James might play another season. Or two. Or more. He easily could reach 43,000 or 44,000 by the time he´s finished. That will only make the record more out of reach.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James looks toward fans after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Some reasons why it’s such a long shot that someone else will reach the milestone:

Other than James, there are only seven active players with more than 20,000 points – meaning there are only seven players who are halfway to 40,000.

Kevin Durant is closest to James, about 12,000 points behind the all-time scoring leader. Durant´s career average of 27.3 points per game is actually 0.2 points better than James´ career scoring rate. But Durant – if he keeps that average – would have to play basically every game until the end of the 2028-29 season to reach the 40,000 mark.

He´d be 40 at that time. Durant playing at that age isn´t completely unrealistic. The playing every game for five-plus years part probably is unrealistic; Durant hasn´t appeared in all 82 games of a season since 2009-10, when he was 21.

There are three active players with higher career per-game scoring averages than James. Durant is one, Luka Doncic (28.5) and Joel Embiid (27.8) are the others.

Doncic just turned 25. A reporter asked him last week if he considered turning 25 to be a milestone birthday. “I feel like I´m 40,” Doncic replied. It sure doesn´t seem like Doncic is considering playing 15 more years, based on that answer.

And Embiid is roughly 28,000 points behind James. He´d need to play 1,000 more games, give or take, to reach 40,000. Given his health history and age – Embiid turns 30 later this month – 1,000 more games seems improbable at best.

James got to 40,000 through the combination of excellence and longevity. Only Vince Carter played more NBA seasons than James has, and if James – as expected – comes back for Year 22 next season he´ll tie that record.

Playing seemingly forever, that is what turns a tough task into darn near impossible.

There have been greater scorers, at least in terms of average. Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain both averaged 30.1 points, but James already has appeared in 400-plus more games than either of those icons. Elgin Baylor averaged 27.4 points in his 14 seasons; he appeared in 846 games and would have had to play in 616 more (at that scoring average) to reach 40,000.

Jerry West averaged roughly the same in his career as James. Again, the longevity is what separates them; West played 932 games.

All talk about things that could happen in the future should include Victor Wembanyama.

He is averaging 20.7 points per game as a rookie. James averaged 20.9 points in his rookie season. Only 20 more years and the same trajectory to go, and Wemby will be right there in the 40,000 club.

At All-Star weekend, Milwaukee guard Damian Lillard said that if he was in charge he´d add a 4-point line to the NBA floor. That would certainly help someone make a run at 40,000.

It´s unlikely that such a move will happen; in fact, given how scoring has risen in recent years, it´s reasonable to think that the NBA will make moves to help out defenses before it gives shooters another way to put up video-game numbers.

“Records are always meant to be broken. You can never say never, of any record. … For years, people said Kareem’s record would never be broken.” – James, after scoring 40,000.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James waits to be introduced prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James salutes public address announcer Lawrence Tanter prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James smiles after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James’ shoes are seen prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji, left, forward Peyton Watson, second from left, and forward Justin Holiday defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Playful Interaction: Lu Dort Lightly Slaps LeBron James’ Head, Delighting Lakers Fans.

Lu Dort and LeBron James had Lakers fans cackling.

Facing off one-on-one against LeBron James can be quite a challenge. Despite his age, his first step and ability to blow by defenders are still insanely good. There are not many options for opposing players once he gets past them even teammates like Anthony Davis find it hard to guard him in practice. Lu Dort was one of these individuals after the Los Angeles Lakers legend got past him en route to a driving lane. But, it would be the move that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s defensive specialist pulled off which caught fans off guard.

 

When LeBron James got out of reach, Lu Dort slapped him on the head which prompted Lakers fans to post their hilarious reactions.

“Lu Dort acting like he saw a bug on LeBron’s head,” a fan said.

Another user even made fun of James’ aging hair, “Lu Dort gave no respect to LeBron’s hairline.”

The foul was called on the Thunder’s defensive specialist. Before continuing play, the Lakers legend was in some noticeable pain and grabbing his head. After that, it looked like the hit did not bother him anymore. But, more fans continued to make fun of the situation.

One member of the Lakers faithful was wondering what prompted the move, “What did LeBron do to Lu Dort to deserve this?”

Others were more impressed at how James handled the blow, “It’s a miracle LeBron is still standing after that gruesome act of violence from Lu Dort. Amazing resilience.”

All of these memes were made in good fun. Lakers fans even got to enjoy it more after because they had won over

Lakers bring the Thunder back to the ground

It was not the ideal night for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He only knocked down five out of his 13 field goal attempts for 20 points. This off night made their chances of winning against the Lakers bleak. James and his squad saw this and quickly took advantage. D’Angelo Russell blazed up by going nine of 18 from the field for 26 points. Anthony Davis backed it up with a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds. The King then rounded out the leaders with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He was just two assists short of a triple-double.

This is a great win for the Lakers as they try to get out of the play-in race.

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Superstar Duo LeBron James and Drake Inject Capital into the PGA Tour, Diving into Golf as their Latest Sports Investment.

LeBron James and Drake are embarking on a new venture as the PGA Tour’s latest investors.

The NBA superstar and Grammy-winning rap artist’s involvement came with a new wave of investors in the league. In January, the Fenway Sports Group led the way by committing an investment of up to $3billion in the tour.

The watershed deal gave players equity in the PGA Tour while rivalling Saudi-backed league LIV Golf has attracted a lot of golf stars with massive contracts.

 

‘Golf can be so much more than a sport. I remember some of my best childhood memories was being on the golf course with my uncle,’ Drake said in a statement to DealBook.

‘It’s one thing to invest in a team, but to help reimagine one of the biggest leagues in the world is an incredible opportunity and I’m excited to be a part of it.’

Lakers star LeBron James and rapper Drake have been announced as investors in the PGA Tour

James and Drake join a long list of celebrity investors along with the Fenway Sports Group

FSG committed $3billion to the PGA Tour to fend off rivaling Saudi-backed league LIV golf

While the numbers have not been disclosed, James and Drake are reportedly committing extra capital as ‘strategic investors’. They are expected to use their marketing power to expand the league’s audience.

They will be joining a star-studded list of unidentified PGA Tour investors. The list includes actor Chris Pratt, James’ business partner Maverick Carter and his agent Rich Paul, United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer, and UnitedMasters founder Steve Stoute.

Neither Drake nor James is a stranger to sports investing.

In 2021, James took a stake in FSG which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC in the Premier League. James, however, already owned part of Liverpool before reaching an agreement with FSG.

In 2022, the duo also invested in AC Milan in the Serie A alongside RedBird Captial Partners and the owners of the New York Yankees.

Lakers News: After Win Over OKC, LeBron James Climbs Into Top 4 In Another Category

Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James keeps on adding to the record books.

 

After beating the Oklahoma City Thunder soundly on Monday, the 20-time All-Star has now climbs into the top four all-time in career regular season wins.

The Lakers defeated the Thunder 116-104 to earn James his 954th career win in his illustrious career. The four-time NBA MVP now trails only San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame power forward Tim Duncan’s 1,001 victories, Hall of Fame Boston Celtics center Robert Parish’s 1,014, and Hall of Fame Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,074.

James has collected 193 of his 954 wins in purple and gold. This is his sixth season in Los Angeles; he’s won 57.9% of his games. The King has done it all in his extraordinary career and is not close to being done.

As long as he stays healthy and the drive is there, he could climb into the top three on the list. He only trails Duncan by 47 wins as of Tuesday, March 5th.

If he returns for a 22nd season, he should be able to pass him by then.

James’s legacy continues to grow, and we’re glad he’s going it as a Laker.

LeBron James forced to duck as 6ft 9inch NBA star jumps into tiny Ford with wife to celebrate 40,000 point mark at party

LEBRON James has squeezed himself into a stunning vintage car as he and his wife Savannah celebrated his latest carer milestone.

On Saturday, Los Angeles Lakers fans erupted around the Crypto.com Arena as LeBron became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points, during their game against the Denver Nuggets.

 

LeBron James (R) and his wife Savannah (C) headed for a night out in Malibu over the weekend to celebrate his latest career milestoneCredit: BackGrid

6-foot-9 LeBron managed to fit into his vintage Ford Bronco before heading to Nobu and SoHo HouseCredit: BackGrid

On Saturday, LeBron became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career pointsCredit: Getty

LeBron’s 40,000th point came early in the second quarter and was followed by a standing ovation for the four-time MVP.

Unfortunately, the evening’s excitement was dulled somewhat with the Lakers ultimately losing 124-114 to the reigning Champions.

Despite this, LeBron and Savannah took the opportunity to enjoy a night out together in celebration of his momentous achievement.

Wearing white shoes, pants, and a T-shirt, LeBron paired these with a denim jacket, a white beanie, and a selection of jewelry, as he headed out to dinner in his vintage green soft-top Ford Bronco.

By his side was Savannah, wearing an all-blue coat and pant combo, paired with a bandanna and white shoes.

Having squeezed himself into the Bronco, the 6-foot-9 NBA legend headed out for dinner at Nobu in Malibu, California.

Later, LeBron and Savannah made their way to SoHo House, overlooking the Pacific.

Savannah has been by LeBron’s side throughout his career, having first met as 16-year-olds in Ohio.

They have since had three children together, LeBron ‘Bronny’ James Jr., 19, Bryce Maximus, 16, and Zhuri Nova, nine.

And while LeBron has long been cemented as one of the all-time greats of the NBA, it seems the family name may not leave the league any time soon.

‘I’m quite disgusted,’ fumes Stephen A. Smith as ESPN analyst savages LeBron teammate after Lakers star passes milestone

USC star guard Bronny is reportedly weighing his options at the moment, as he debated returning to the Trojans for another season versus declaring for the Draft.

His decision will come down to the interest from specific teams, rather than any draft projections, as per his father’s agent, Rich Paul, via ESPN.

“I don’t value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation,” he said.

Paul added that Bronny joining LeBron on a roster is not a requirement.

That being said, understandably, LeBron would be “head over heels excited if that were to happen organically.”

LeBron and Savannah have been together since they were 16 years oldCredit: BackGrid

Their eldest child, Bronny, is reportedly debating whether or not to remain with the USC Trojans for another season or declare for the upcoming NBA Draft

LeBron James keeps on adding to the record books: The records are never ending with the four-time NBA champion.

Lakers News: After Win Over OKC, LeBron James Climbs Into Top 4 In Another Category

 

Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James keeps on adding to the record books.

After beating the Oklahoma City Thunder soundly on Monday, the 20-time All-Star has now climbs into the top four all-time in career regular season wins.

The Lakers defeated the Thunder 116-104 to earn James his 954th career win in his illustrious career. The four-time NBA MVP now trails only San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame power forward Tim Duncan’s 1,001 victories, Hall of Fame Boston Celtics center Robert Parish’s 1,014, and Hall of Fame Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,074.

James has collected 193 of his 954 wins in purple and gold. This is his sixth season in Los Angeles; he’s won 57.9% of his games. The King has done it all in his extraordinary career and is not close to being done.

As long as he stays healthy and the drive is there, he could climb into the top three on the list. He only trails Duncan by 47 wins as of Tuesday, March 5th.

If he returns for a 22nd season, he should be able to pass him by then.

James’s legacy continues to grow, and we’re glad he’s going it as a Laker.

LeBron James’ 40,000-point club won’t see anyone joining for a long time. Maybe never. Here’s why

 

Never say never. There’s a slim chance that one day someone will join LeBron James in the NBA’s 40,000-point club.

James crossed the 40,000-point mark on Saturday night, extending the NBA all-time scoring record that he claimed from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last season.

James already has added about 1,700 points of distance between himself and Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 38,387. It might be time to add James’ NBA scoring record to the list of “records that never will be broken,” like Cal Ripken’s 2,632 consecutive games played in baseball, Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 points in the NHL or the UConn women’s basketball team winning 111 consecutive games.

Wilt Chamberlain once averaged 50.4 points in a season in the NBA. Nobody else ever has come close to that. The highest any other player averaged in a full season was Elgin Baylor’s 38.3 per game; if someone averaged that much for an entire career, they would have had to play all 82 games for almost 13 seasons just to get to get to 40,000 points.

“Nobody will ever, ever touch it,” Miami forward Kevin Love, one of James’ former Cleveland teammates, said last year when James broke Abdul-Jabbar’s record.

And remember, James might play another season. Or two. Or more. He easily could reach 43,000 or 44,000 by the time he’s finished. That will only make the record more out of reach.

Some reasons why it’s such a long shot that someone else will reach the milestone:

WHO’S NEXT?

Other than James, there are only seven active players with more than 20,000 points — meaning there are only seven players who are halfway to 40,000.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James waits to be introduced prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Kevin Durant is closest to James, about 12,000 points behind the all-time scoring leader. Durant’s career average of 27.3 points per game is actually 0.2 points better than James’ career scoring rate. But Durant — if he keeps that average — would have to play basically every game until the end of the 2028-29 season to reach the 40,000 mark.

He’d be 40 at that time. Durant playing at that age isn’t completely unrealistic. The playing every game for five-plus years part probably is unrealistic; Durant hasn’t appeared in all 82 games of a season since 2009-10, when he was 21.

There are three active players with higher career per-game scoring averages than James. Durant is one, Luka Doncic (28.5) and Joel Embiid (27.8) are the others.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Yannick Peterhans)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji, left, forward Peyton Watson, second from left, and forward Justin Holiday defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Doncic just turned 25. A reporter asked him last week if he considered turning 25 to be a milestone birthday. “I feel like I’m 40,” Doncic replied. It sure doesn’t seem like Doncic is considering playing 15 more years, based on that answer.

And Embiid is roughly 28,000 points behind James. He’d need to play 1,000 more games, give or take, to reach 40,000. Given his health history and age — Embiid turns 30 later this month — 1,000 more games seems improbable at best.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

James got to 40,000 through the combination of excellence and longevity. Only Vince Carter played more NBA seasons than James has, and if James — as expected — comes back for Year 22 next season he’ll tie that record.

Playing seemingly forever, that is what turns a tough task into darn near impossible.

There have been greater scorers, at least in terms of average. Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain both averaged 30.1 points, but James already has appeared in 400-plus more games than either of those icons. Elgin Baylor averaged 27.4 points in his 14 seasons; he appeared in 846 games and would have had to play in 616 more (at that scoring average) to reach 40,000.

Jerry West averaged roughly the same in his career as James. Again, the longevity is what separates them; West played 932 games.

WHAT ABOUT WEMBY?

All talk about things that could happen in the future should include Victor Wembanyama.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James salutes public address announcer Lawrence Tanter prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James waits to be introduced prior to an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

He is averaging 20.7 points per game as a rookie. James averaged 20.9 points in his rookie season. Only 20 more years and the same trajectory to go, and Wemby will be right there in the 40,000 club.

At All-Star weekend, Milwaukee guard Damian Lillard said that if he was in charge he’d add a 4-point line to the NBA floor. That would certainly help someone make a run at 40,000.

It’s unlikely that such a move will happen; in fact, given how scoring has risen in recent years, it’s reasonable to think that the NBA will make moves to help out defenses before it gives shooters another way to put up video-game numbers.

LAST WORD

“Records are always meant to be broken. You can never say never, of any record. … For years, people said Kareem’s record would never be broken.” — James, after scoring 40,000.

LeBron James Is Actively Hating On His Coach, he thinks undermining his coach will somehow help the Lakers win a ring

Queen James Is Back

 

LeBron James wants another championship but thinks undermining his coach will somehow help the Lakers win a ring.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is reportedly fed up with head coach Darvin Ham — putting another job in the crosshair of the Coach Killer.

New details of James’ conduct highlighted by Lakers Daily mentioned that LeBron is deliberately ignoring Ham during their in-game huddles.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 10: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to Head coach Darvin Ham during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game five of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Chase Center on May 10, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

James — generally seen as a diva, concurrent to his greatness — is reportedly becoming a nuisance, seen rolling his eyes at Ham’s instructions and often overruling the coach’s directions, advising his teammates to ignore Ham.

“He sits in the huddle and gets his rest/water, rolls his eyes as Ham speaks, and waits for the huddle to break,” noted Lakers Daily’s Anthony Irwin. “If Ham ever does draw up a play, as soon as the huddle breaks, James will tell everyone else on the court with him ‘f**k all that’ and calls a play of his own.”

James typically had a hand in dictating who his coach was in his later years, so watching him turn his back on Ham, after just two years, showcases that James is more interested in flexing power than cultivating a winning culture.

Aside from his Mickey Mouse championship from the 2020 season, James’ tenure in LA has been less than stellar. He holds a 190-139 record as a member of the Lakers but frequently finds himself trying to dig out of the bottom half of Western Conference standings. The Lakers are currently 10th in the West at 33-29.

There’s more blame worth assigning to the Lakers’ front office, whose ineptitude with forming a roster around James puts more onus on the 39-year-old to play heavy minutes to shoulder a losing squad. Relying on an undrafted Austin Reaves as a No. 3 option or giving heavy minutes to Taurean Prince lands far from a championship or playoff-caliber team. But that’s where the front office left the Lakers.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 7: Player LeBron James (23) of Los Angeles Lakers speaks at the press conference after the NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals game between Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on December 7, 2023. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 9: LeBron James #23  and Head Coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 9, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)

To be fair, Ham’s inability to glue together a consistent rotation also has The King and Lakers fans skeptical of his coaching abilities. More times than not, Ham also acts like a LeBron fan rather than his coach.

LA’s problems are deep-seated, and James grows antsy to see change at the coaching level, even if it’ll set the franchise back another step.

LeBron James speaks volume when coaching at Bryce’ school teamt, iꜱ ho𝚗i𝚗g hiꜱ ꜱkillꜱ ɑꜱ ɑ coɑch deꜱpite hiꜱ imme𝚗ꜱe proweꜱꜱ o𝚗 the coυrt.

Aꜱide from plɑyi𝚗g ɑ gɑme o𝚗 the Nike EYBL circυit, the foυr-time NBA chɑmpio𝚗 wɑꜱ cɑptυred o𝚗 cɑmerɑ providi𝚗g i𝚗ꜱtrυctio𝚗ꜱ from the ꜱideli𝚗eꜱ to hiꜱ 16-yeɑr-old ꜱo𝚗 Bryce, who iꜱ ɑ member of the Strive For Greɑt𝚗eꜱꜱ teɑm coɑched by Jɑmeꜱ ɑ𝚗d former teɑmmɑte Rɑjo𝚗 Ro𝚗do.

They were pitted ɑgɑi𝚗ꜱt New Heightꜱ Light𝚗i𝚗g i𝚗 Peɑch Jɑm, the Nike EYBL ꜱpri𝚗g ɑ𝚗d ꜱυmmer leɑgυe chɑmpio𝚗ꜱhip toυr𝚗ɑme𝚗t, which wɑꜱ plɑyed i𝚗 Aυgυꜱtɑ, Georgiɑ. The toυr𝚗ɑme𝚗t iꜱ regɑrded ɑꜱ ɑ preemi𝚗e𝚗t high ꜱchool bɑꜱketbɑll competitio𝚗 i𝚗 the U𝚗ited Stɑteꜱ, ɑttrɑcti𝚗g teɑmꜱ from 𝚗otɑble ɑthleteꜱ i𝚗clυdi𝚗g Brɑdley Beɑl, Chriꜱ Pɑυl, ɑ𝚗d Cɑrmelo A𝚗tho𝚗y.

Jɑmeꜱ, overcome with elɑtio𝚗, wɑꜱ obꜱerved e𝚗thυꜱiɑꜱticɑlly rɑiꜱi𝚗g hiꜱ fiꜱt from the ꜱideli𝚗eꜱ ɑꜱ hiꜱ teɑm overcɑme ɑ 10-poi𝚗t deficit to force overtime. With 27 poi𝚗tꜱ from Brɑyde𝚗 Bυrrieꜱ, Jɑmeꜱ led Strive for Greɑt𝚗eꜱꜱ to victory ɑꜱ their coɑch. The teɑm’ꜱ cυrre𝚗t toυr𝚗ɑme𝚗t record iꜱ o𝚗e defeɑt ɑ𝚗d two victorieꜱ.

They defeɑted the Expreꜱꜱio𝚗ꜱ 78-69 i𝚗 the ope𝚗er, the𝚗 fell to the Floridɑ Rebelꜱ 72-67 i𝚗 the remɑtch o𝚗 Wed𝚗eꜱdɑy, before defeɑti𝚗g the Light𝚗i𝚗g i𝚗 overtime.

Bryce, who iꜱ reportedly poiꜱed to trɑ𝚗ꜱfer from Sierrɑ Cɑ𝚗yo𝚗 to Cɑmpbell Hɑll ɑfter receivi𝚗g hiꜱ firꜱt Diviꜱio𝚗 I offer from Dυqυeꜱ𝚗e U𝚗iverꜱity i𝚗 Pittꜱbυrgh, will follow i𝚗 the footꜱtepꜱ of Jɑmeꜱ, who hɑꜱ ɑlꜱo decided to pυrꜱυe ɑ bɑꜱketbɑll cɑreer. Bryce iꜱ 16 yeɑrꜱ old. Bro𝚗𝚗y Jɑmeꜱ iꜱ widely co𝚗ꜱidered to be ɑ primɑry tɑrget for the 2024 NBA Drɑft ɑ𝚗d will be ɑ member of the USC ꜱqυɑd for the υpcomi𝚗g ꜱeɑꜱo𝚗.

Bɑro𝚗 Bellɑmy, the ꜱo𝚗 of comediɑ𝚗 Bill Bellɑmy, ɑ𝚗d Richɑrd Hɑmilto𝚗 II, the ꜱo𝚗 of former NBA ꜱtɑr Richɑrd Hɑmilto𝚗, ɑre ɑmo𝚗g the ꜱo𝚗ꜱ of 𝚗otɑble ɑthleteꜱ with whom Bryce iꜱ ꜱchedυled to perform. Dɑvid Grɑce, the chief coɑch ɑt Cɑmpbell Hɑll, iꜱ ecꜱtɑtic to hɑve the chɑ𝚗ce to ɑꜱꜱiꜱt Bryce i𝚗 the developme𝚗t of hiꜱ bɑꜱketbɑll ɑbilitieꜱ.

“If give𝚗 the opportυ𝚗ity to coɑch Bryce, I wɑ𝚗t him to be Bryce,” Grɑce told ESPN. “Becɑυꜱe thɑt iꜱ υ𝚗iqυe, ɑ𝚗d I wɑ𝚗t him to develop ɑ𝚗d be𝚗efit the moꜱt from hiꜱ time ɑt Cɑmpbell Hɑll.” It will be fɑr more thɑ𝚗 jυꜱt me ɑꜱꜱiꜱti𝚗g him, bυt I will do my beꜱt to co𝚗tribυte. I cɑ𝚗 pɑrtiɑlly grɑꜱp the perꜱpective from which he iꜱ ꜱpeɑki𝚗g. I do 𝚗ot ide𝚗tify ɑꜱ him.

“While my fɑmily did 𝚗ot receive the ꜱɑme level of ɑtte𝚗tio𝚗, I hɑve bee𝚗 i𝚗 ɑ ꜱimilɑr ꜱitυɑtio𝚗 ɑ𝚗d cɑ𝚗 either relɑte my ow𝚗 experie𝚗ceꜱ or ɑt leɑꜱt empɑthize with hiꜱ. “I𝚗 thɑt ɑreɑ will I develop profeꜱꜱio𝚗ɑlly ɑꜱ ɑ coɑch.”

Bro𝚗𝚗y Jɑmeꜱ, the older brother of Byrce, hɑꜱ choꜱe𝚗 to e𝚗roll ɑt the U𝚗iverꜱity of Soυther𝚗 Cɑlifor𝚗iɑ (USC) ɑ𝚗d will do𝚗 𝚗υmber ꜱix, jυꜱt like hiꜱ fɑther.

Jɑmeꜱ will be hopefυl the ꜱixth overɑll pick be𝚗efitꜱ him, ɑ𝚗d he mɑy declɑre for the NBA Drɑft the followi𝚗g yeɑr. Followi𝚗g foυr yeɑrꜱ ɑt Sierrɑ Cɑ𝚗yo𝚗 School i𝚗 Loꜱ A𝚗geleꜱ, Jɑmeꜱ mɑde the deciꜱio𝚗 to remɑi𝚗 i𝚗 cloꜱe proximity to hiꜱ fɑmily while ɑlꜱo pυrꜱυi𝚗g ɑthleticꜱ ɑt USC.

LeBro𝚗 Jɑmeꜱ remɑrked, “O𝚗e of the greɑteꜱt dɑyꜱ of my life,” followi𝚗g hiꜱ ꜱo𝚗’ꜱ ɑcceptɑ𝚗ce to USC for the υpcomi𝚗g ꜱeɑꜱo𝚗. “He iꜱ the firꜱt member of my fɑmily to ɑtte𝚗d college. “Regɑrdleꜱꜱ of the gɑme’ꜱ oυtcome, I coυld 𝚗ot ɑfford to loꜱe todɑy.”