LeBron James went into the real reason behind the launch of the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with JJ Redick.
LeBron James and JJ Redick’s ‘Mind the Game’ podcast was started to re-educate fans of basketball with what the true essence of the game is, according to LeBron himself.
“I feel like we were losing the essence of the game of basketball and the true meaning behind the game, teaching our youth, and teaching people what the game of basketball truly means. I was getting very frustrated with the daily comparisons every single day. Who’s better between you and Dave McMenamin? Or how does this affect your legacy? If this guy played in the ’50s, or if this guy from the ’50s played today, it’s not good for the youth.”
James also revealed why he thinks the conversation needs to change and why he started this podcast with JJ Redick.
“If you’re hearing this every day on national television. I feel like our audience needed a different approach to the true essence of the game, how I fell in love with the game. When you have someone like JJ who has the same mindset about the game of basketball, is very smart, and fell in love with the game for all the right reasons. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and with JJ, it was perfect timing.”
LeBron and Redick’s podcast has already debuted, with the first episode receiving rave reviews for a nuanced conversation about the game of basketball. The show did contain many insightful quotes from LeBron on how he views the game and how his basketball knowledge has evolved.
James tackled multiple talk points, including narrative-based takes based on his opinions on players like Jayson Tatum and Stephen Curry.
The First Episode Of The Mind The Game Podcast Was Insightful
Few players in the history of basketball understand the game of basketball like LeBron James. That became clear through the first episode, as James tackled multiple topics. One of the best quotes came when he went into detail on why he despises the ‘two-for-one’ play, which leads to chucking shots late in quarters to get another possession.
“I’mma tell you what kills me: The 2-for-1 shot at the end of quarters… I understand why the 2-for-1 is important… In theory, it’s a free shot. But what people don’t account for are the four or five possessions before that… If we haven’t gotten a great shot in three minutes and we’ve been turning the ball over, why will I dribble down and shoot a 40-footer with 33 on the clock? Why not get a great look? That great look at the end of the third, even if it’s one shot, may give us momentum going into the fourth quarter.
In addition, James also opened up on what it takes to be a successful basketball player. He opened up on the sacrifices required to succeed in addition to explaining the skill set required to achieve at the level he has achieved.