After LeBron James was caught getting cozy with his friend and competitor Kevin Durant on Friday, some voices within the NBA community spoke out against the King and his tendency to befriend his biggest competition. The conversation got so loud, that Kevin Durant himself spoke about it on X, where he responded to a disgruntled fan.
“At some point, yall nonathletes gon realize that friends compete harder against one another,” wrote Durant.
At some point, yall non athletes gon realize that friends compete harder against one another.
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 11, 2023
LeBron saw this thread and decided to add to the conversation for himself. But instead of leaving a whole sentence to make his point, James simply responded with a single emoji over a picture of Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley exchanging pleasantries together mid-game.
🤷🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/veAXq4n1jb
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 11, 2023
It’s popular for NBA fans today to crave a more competitive dynamic between the game’s top players but the players, it seems, would rather be friends than play as enemies. As the pioneer for this modern-day trend, LeBron James is perhaps more guilty than anyone else of diluting the competitive aura between modern-day athletes. Today, guys just don’t hate each other like they used to and not everyone is a huge fan of this development.
Have Modern NBA Athletes Gone Soft?
Back in the day rivalries were everything in the NBA and the league made a big show when the top teams and players went to battle against each other. At the time, this aggressive and unfriendly behavior toward the other side was celebrated across the league and guys like Michael Jordan made it a point to treat his opponents like they were the enemy. Of course, this stigma is actually false when you look back.
While Michael was an absolute killer on the court, he was pretty tight with many of his top competitors at this time, including Charles Barkley whom he often invited to poker nights throughout the season. Jordan is also notorious for his golf trips, which frequently included other top players in the game. Fast forward to today, and it’s largely the same thing except for the public’s perception. LeBron James and other modern stars have no doubt taken a different approach to how they interact with their fellow players but it doesn’t mean they are any less competitive when it’s time to go for a win on the court.
So when LeBron saw his competitive spirit being challenged in front of his eyes, it’s no surprise he felt compelled to speak up. Now, more than ever, the NBA is a “brotherhood” and they look out for each other. Fortunately, it hasn’t yet impacted the quality of the games except for maybe bringing out the best in these athletes night after night.
LeBron Hasn’t Lost A Step
Say whatever you want about the King, but he’s never let his personal feelings negatively impact his performance before and that certainly wasn’t the case on Friday during the Lakers’ win over Phoenix. Despite his friendly encounter with Durant during the game, he dominated from start to finish with a final stat line of 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists in the 3-point win. As for Durant, he was also able to put on a show last night and it served as further proof that two stars can still make things entertaining when they aren’t acting like enemies on stand off the court.
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