LeBron James is no stranger to international competition. As a three-time Olympic gold medalist and former Team USA leader, he’s logged countless minutes under FIBA rules and now, he’s offering a thoughtful take on how that rugged, physical brand of basketball stacks up against the NBA’s high-octane product.
On the latest episode of Mind The Game, the podcast he co-hosts with Steve Nash, LeBron dove into one of the league’s more hot-button debates: should the NBA adopt certain FIBA rules?
“There are couple of things In FIBA I actually like, when it comes to rule and obviously I’ve played a lot of FIBA games being part of Team USA. The physicality that you’re allowed to play with is awesome… But do fans really want playoff-level physicality for a full 82 games?”
It’s a fair point. In FIBA competition, defenders are allowed to use their bodies more freely, post play is rougher, and officiating tends to let players battle through contact.
For LeBron, that kind of intensity is thrilling in short bursts, like in the Olympics or World Cup. But stretched across an entire NBA season? That’s where the excitement could turn into exhaustion, for both players and viewers.
James also pointed out specific FIBA rules he finds intriguing, like their approach to goaltending. Under FIBA regulations, once the ball touches the rim, it’s fair game. Players can swat it off or tip it in, as long as it’s no longer on the way up. He also spoke fondly of the 40-minute game format, a staple of FIBA play.
Still, he made it clear that overhauling the NBA’s foundational structure would be a complex undertaking. And while some have called for more zone defense freedom, like in FIBA, where defenders aren’t penalized for camping in the paint, LeBron drew the line there.
Instead, LeBron advocated for a pragmatic approach: testing experimental rules in the G League and Summer League before bringing them to the NBA. Ultimately, though, LeBron reaffirmed his love for the NBA’s current formula.
His message was clear: FIBA’s style has its strengths, but the NBA’s balance of finesse and freedom is what makes it special. Still, a little experimentation wouldn’t hurt.
