LeBron James’ impact on the Lakers has been huge.
His skillset, mentality, and Championship DNA have brought the glory days back to the Purple and Gold and they now stand just two wins away from a title after missing out on the playoffs for over five years.
Though the 2018-19 season was pretty rough for the Lakeshow, it was an important year for Bron and the organization, as they learned how to play with one another. That season, Bron’s teammate Rajon Rondo actually spoke to him on how his body language was being felt by others on the team.
(via ESPN)
Amid a frustrating 2018-19 season, Rondo noted James souring on the young players and immediately confronted him.
“When guys are making the same mistakes over and over and over, it’s hard to bite your tongue,” Rondo says, “but I tried to get [James] to focus on his body language.
“Those young guys were looking at everything he did. If they missed four shots in a row and LeBron was making a face, it was crushing to them. He was their Michael Jordan. They didn’t want to let him down. But if LeBron said one thing positive to Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma, they immediately were back to their old selves.”
For a player with as much gravity as LeBron James, his body language can have major implications on the confidence of his teammates.
This season, we know that LeBron has been the first one to call himself out on his own mistakes and that his fellow teammates (including Anthony Davis) have not been shy about holding him accountable.
In the end, it is clear that these past few years have been a learning process for the Lakers. And, considering where they stand now, it has been a highly successful one.
