SUMMARY
- LeBron James talks about the evolution of three-pointers in a latest 'Mind The Game' podcast episode.
- King James claims that he doesn't aim to shoot more from behind the line despite being encouraged to do so.
LeBron James has been collaborating with JJ Reddick on the ‘Mind The Game’ podcast. It is where the two have been sharing their knowledge about the beautiful game and their valuable and wise insights. In the latest episode, titled ‘How Three-Point Shooting Changed Everything,’ James and Reddick talk about the evolution of basketball and how three-point shooting has become more common.
He hasn’t always relied on jumpers and three-pointers to bag points. The King is a physical freak of nature who has always been a force to be reckoned with. He has tried in the past to drive to the rim or attempts to push through opponents, especially during his prime. But now, even James has evolved with the game and has added shooting to his long list of talents.
LeBron James reveals why he doesn’t want to rely on three-pointers
LeBron said on the podcast, “Yeah, I definitely, I mean, 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 threes. They’re encouraging it. Yeah, they’re encouraging me to shoot more threes. I’m not putting enough pressure on the defense if I’m shooting 12 to 14 threes a game.”
“I have to put some fear in the defense” – LeBron James prefers pressuring opponents instead of shooting 3-pointers 😤#LeBronJames #JJReddick #MindTheGamePod
(Via @mindthegamepod) pic.twitter.com/g7HZ6FfZSz
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) May 1, 2024
“You know, if I’m shooting 12,14 threes a game, I feel like I can hit six or seven of them. You know, if I’m fucking off, off, then, you know, three or four of them. But I can shoot high clip at, if I’m shooting 14 a game, I’m gonna get in the rhythm,” James added.
LeBron James’ insane 3pt shooting numbers from the 23-24 season:
41.0 – regular season (career-high)
38.5 – playoffsReminder: LeBron is 39 years old 😳#LeBronJames pic.twitter.com/PMFRpbRbDC
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) May 1, 2024
As mentioned earlier, LeBron is not a player who takes three-pointers frequently. He has always relied on mid-range jumpers, layups, or dunks. According to him, that’s one of the ways to instill fear in the defense. LeBron has played with some elite sharpshooters over the years, including Kyrie Irving, Mike Miller, and James Jones, just to name a few. LeBron has always let his teammates take the shooting role, while he does the dirty work in the paint.
LeBron speaks about expanding his game with three-point shooting
LeBron also talked about how he has managed to expand his game. He said, “I tried to figure out ways on the floor where I could, that possession, maybe get the best shot. And sometimes you may have to force one into the shot clock or, you know, you may feel like you, you know, in a good rhythm, you may force one, whatever the case may be. But I’ve never been too much of a pull-up jump shooter, off the dribble, mid-range shooter.”
“I feel unguardable” – LeBron James after expanding his game with 3-point shooting 👀#LeBronJames #NBA
(Via @mindthegamepod) pic.twitter.com/XdSPiZxUlI
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) May 1, 2024
The Lakers star also added, “I did a little bit early on in my career, early in my career, you know, But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been more in the pulse, mid-range, as far as the Karl Malone area on the block. And now I’ve expanded my game to the three-point line over the last few years, where I feel like pretty much unguardable.”
LeBron has had his best-ever season in terms of three-point shooting numbers, making 41% of his attempts from behind the line. The 4x NBA champ has also averaged 25.8 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in 76 games, including playoffs. His numbers speak at length about how the improvement of his three-point shooting has helped him to average some ridiculous stats even at his age.