LeBron James revealed a formative moment from his high school basketball career during an episode of ‘Mind The Game’, recounting an incident where his coach, Keith Dambrot, kicked him out of practice in his sophomore year.
“There were kids whose parents used to come to practice, and he would call them out of their names right in front of their parents. My freshman year, we win the state championship, we go 27-0. I was the MVP of the tournament.”
“Obviously Maverick was our captain my freshman year. My sophomore year, the first practice I came in as a projected no. 1 player in the state of Ohio, I was projected to be All-American as a sophomore, projected to be Mr. Basketball as a sophomore, which had never been done in Ohio high school history.”
“The first practice we had our sophomore year out of winning the state championship, I did nothing wrong coming out of football. He kicked me out of practice. He kicked me out of practice. I had no idea why the f**k he kicked me out of practice.”
“I think he was just setting the tone for the season. Whoever you think you are, I’ve heard all of this stuff of how great you are… no, imma humble your a** right now. He kicked me out of practice, and the last thing he said to me when he kicked me out of practice the first day of the practice he said, ‘Best sophomore in the country, my a**.'” (15:30)
Despite James’ impressive freshman season, which included winning the state championship and earning MVP honors, Dambrot’s treatment was unexpected. James entered his sophomore year with high expectations, being projected as the top player in Ohio and a potential All-American. However, in the very first practice session of the season, Dambrot abruptly ejected James from practice.
Reflecting on the incident, James recalled feeling puzzled and unsure about the reason for his dismissal. He speculated that Dambrot may have aimed to assert his authority and instill humility in James, who had garnered significant attention and accolades at a young age. By kicking him out of practice, Dambrot seemingly aimed to challenge James and remind him of the need to remain grounded despite his talents and achievements.
The coach’s parting words, “Best sophomore in the country, my a**,” underscored the tough love approach he employed with James and the rest of the team. Rather than basking in James’ early success, Dambrot sought to temper any sense of entitlement or complacency, pushing James to continually strive for improvement and maintain a humble demeanor.
Ultimately, the incident served as a pivotal moment in James’ development, shaping his mindset and approach to the game. It taught him the importance of resilience, humility, and perseverance in the face of challenges and setbacks. Despite the initial shock and disappointment, James used the experience as motivation to prove himself and solidify his status as the greatest basketball player of all time.
As LeBron James shared this anecdote, it provided insight into the demanding standards and expectations he faced early in his career, highlighting the pivotal role of mentorship and tough love in his journey to basketball superstardom.
LeBron James Admits He Wanted To Play In March Madness
LeBron James recently admitted to harboring a longstanding desire to play in March Madness. In a conversation with JJ Redick on their Mind the Game podcast, James revealed that thoughts of participating in the NCAA tournament surface every year during March Madness season.
Despite achieving nearly every accolade in professional basketball, including four NBA championships and four league MVP awards, James confessed that the allure of March Madness remains unique. He emphasized the singular focus on college basketball during this time of the year, making it the only occasion when he contemplates playing at the collegiate level.
James, who rose to national prominence as a high school phenom dubbed “The Chosen One,” had the basketball world at his feet even before graduating. While he expressed an affinity for potentially playing college basketball at Ohio State, his path to the NBA was preordained. As the undisputed top pick in the 2003 NBA draft, James bypassed the collegiate experience and embarked on a remarkable professional journey straight out of high school.
The NBA’s one-and-done rule, implemented after the 2005 draft, mandates that players must be at least one year removed from high school before entering the league. Had James been born a few years later, he could have potentially participated in March Madness before turning pro.
Ohio State, a perennial powerhouse in college basketball, has had its share of NBA-caliber talent grace its roster, including Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. James’s hypothetical addition to the Buckeyes lineup in the 2006-07 season, alongside Oden and Conley, could have been a dream scenario for fans and a nightmare for opponents.
As March Madness unfolds each year, James, now in the twilight of his career, reflects on what could have been—a tantalizing glimpse into the alternate reality where one of basketball’s greatest stars graced the collegiate hardwood during the most thrilling time of the season.
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