Hawks guard Gabe Vincent is a six-year NBA veteran who is on his third team in four seasons. While he doesn’t have a massive role in the league, he’s gotten to play alongside some of the game’s best players, including LeBron James and Jimmy Butler.
In a recent appearance on the ‘Out the Mud’ podcast, he spoke about his experience as James’ teammate and explained what separates him from the rest. According to Vincent, it’s not so much his physical skills that are so surreal. Rather, it’s his mental dominance of the game that always has him one step ahead of his peers.
“I’ve been on the floor with Jimmy when he’s in go mode,” said Vincent. “When he’s in go mode, he’s a similar type of player. I’ve seen him stand toe to toe with Bron in the 2020 playoffs. He can be that guy to some extent. Obviously, Bron is Bron, but he can be the guy who wants the floor spaced and attack every play; playing with Bron, people talk about it, but he thinks the game so well that when he breaks right, you have to break right even harder. Just get to your spot and be ready for the rock. because it’s probably coming. If that’s the right basketball read, he’s gonna make the right basketball read.”
Vincent, who went undrafted in 2018, played in Miami for four years before joining the Lakers in 2023. He helped both teams make deep playoff runs, but it did little to ease the pressure from fans. For the Lakers, specifically, Vincent notes that the noise there is louder than anywhere else.
“The media is a whole different story,” Vincent added. “There are clips still going around about ‘LeBron said this about you’ and I’m like, that’s not what happened… But you have to talk about LeBron. The man’s great, you can’t talk about hoops and not mention him. That’s a testament to his career, but people are going to get that sh_t off. People who are fans of the game are heavy into gambling, and everybody has access to their phones. That’s part of it. That Lakers noise is loud, no question about it.”
Playing with LeBron James (four-time champion, four-time MVP) can be very rewarding, but it also comes with some drawbacks. Among them is the fact that success is expected every single year, and failure to meet those expectations will be met with rage and condemnation from all corners. Being on the Lakers doesn’t make it any better, as the bright lights and prestige of the organization only add to the pressure.
Today, in Atlanta, Vincent is getting a different experience, but he still frequently reflects on what he left behind. As much as he learned from his days in Los Angeles, he must be relieved to be out of the judging eyes of Lakers fans, who were shaming him after months of rough play.
At 29 years old, Gabe Vincent still has plenty more time in the NBA, but he already knows that being a Laker is second to none. There’s no experience like it in the league, and LeBron James’ presence there only adds to the pressure. In Laker land, it’s championship or bust, and that kind of environment isn’t for everyone.
