Ever imagine what it is like to be a fly on the wall during the NBA All-Star Game draft? Luckily, ESNY got to get in LeBron James’ head.
LeBron James was chosen as one of the two captains of the 2018 NBA All-Star teams. We sat down (not really) with the King to get his two cents on how he chose his roster, with the honor of having the first pick in the draft.
It should come as no shock that King James brought the heat (literally) when giving us an inside look into his thought process. As always, he was equal parts cryptic, introspective, and enlightening.
James sat down with us, wearing his championship rings, yet surprisingly enough, only selected the two championship rings from his years with the Miami Heat. Shocker…
First Round Pick (Giannis Antetokounmpo):
LBJ – “First off, I’d like to congratulate myself for getting the number one pick in the draft (wink). Giannis is one of the five most talented players in the world. Plus, you can tell, he’s a student of the game. I mean, he called me the best player in the game, earlier this year. Did you hear that? In my 15th season…best player in the game.”
Second Round Pick (James Harden):
LBJ – “James has the best handle in the league. BAR NONE. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. NOT EVEN DEBATABLE. DON’T @ ME. Sorry Kyrie.”
Third Round Pick (DeMarcus Cousins):
LBJ – “Listen, All-Star weekend is great. The game itself is a lot fun, and there’s a great mix of celebrities and athletes that get to hang out with each other. But honestly, I’m out here recruiting. My conversation will Boogie will be real brief. 1) I’m telling him that he doesn’t need to worry about the media because I screen all their questions before practice and postgames. 2) I’m going to restructure everyone’s contract so he can fit on the Cavs. 3) All the money that the NBA fines you for technical fouls is secretly refunded into my bank account. By the way, have you ever heard of Clutch Sports?
Fourth Round Pick (DeMar DeRozan):
LBJ – “Outside of basketball, I love doing charity. Seeing smiles on all the kid’s faces warms my heart. I know that Eastern Conference Finals loss back in 2016 still hurts. And….then…there’s that second-round sweep from last season. I mean, I just thought DeMar needed a win.”
Fifth Round Pick (Damian Lillard):
LBJ – “Dame Dolla has the SECOND-BEST handle in the game. BAR NONE. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. NOT EVEN DEBATABLE. DON’T @ ME.”
Sixth Round Pick (Kristaps Porzingis):
LBJ – “I made a deal with KP. He’s a young phenom in need of advice about how to handle the trials and tribulations of the NBA, the media, and how to build your brand as a business man. In return I asked for one thing….Enes Kanter’s phone.”
Seventh Round Pick (Karl-Anthony Towns):
LBJ – “The secret to the fountain of youth is literally eating another person and absorbing their strengths. Or at least that’s how it works on DragonBallZ. Tom Brady thinks he’s gonna play until he’s 45??? I’ll be in the league when I’m 60, easily.
Eighth Round Pick (Victor Oladipo):
LBJ – “So happy that Paul George is out of the Western Conference.”
Ninth Round Pick (John Wall):
LBJ – “I have some much respect for John. End to end he’s one of the fastest players with the ball in his hand. He’s a super athlete who has improved his shot almost every year in the league. He also has……THE THIRD BEST HANDLE IN THE GAME. BAR NONE. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. NOT EVEN DEBATABLE. DON’T @ ME.”
Tenth Round Pick (LaMarcus Aldridge):
LBJ – “Pop is the best coach of All-time (wink).”
Last Pick in the Draft (Draymond Green):
LBJ – “Dray is extremely frustrating to play against. Despite losing to him and the Warriors in the finals last season, he’s one of the fiercest competitors I know. He’s also a great follow on Snapchat.”
Now we’ve got the inside scoop on LeBron James’ choices. What about Steph Curry? Luckily Nick LoPrinzi has you covered.