OAKLAND — LeBron James’ legacy is inextricably intertwined with Golden State after the Warriors and the Cavaliers have met in four straight NBA Finals.
So when James eventually writes the book of his life, he said he’s going to give the Warriors a nod.
“I don’t know where they will fall in my book, but they will have a nice chapter,” James said Wednesday.
James went on to praise the Warriors, who have won two championships over the last three years in 2015 and 2017 — and are highly favorited to beat the Cavaliers again this time around.
“For me as a competitor, it’s fun,” James said. “It’s truly fun to know when I’m done playing the game of basketball, to know I’ve played against some of the greatest teams that have ever been assembled — and this is one of them.
“They’ve got four Hall-of-Famers on their team, in Klay, Dray, Steph and KD. They’ve got a Finals MVP [Andre Iguodala] that comes off their bench.”
James pointed out that the Warriors are oozing with talent even beyond that, including Shaun Livingston, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft, and David West, a two-time All-Star.
“It’s just like whoever they suit up or whoever they decide to be a part of what they’ve got going on over here, is just a really, really high IQ basketball player and knows how to play the game of basketball,” James said.
James credited Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr for keeping a team with so many superstars so harmonious.
“Their head coach is the one who puts it all together, makes it all flow,” James said. “To be able to put egos in the right position and spot on the floor, where everybody feels good about the outcome and things of that nature. When it comes to team sports, that’s something you hope you can be a part of. Where you’ve got great guys who not only have great talent, but practice exactly how you’re supposed to practice, and then go on in a game and play it that way.”
James is arguably one of the best players to ever play the game. He’s a three-time NBA champion, a four-time MVP, a three-time Finals MVP and a 14-time All-Star. He’s about to make his eighth straight appearance in the NBA Finals.
So, understandably, he’s going to have a lot to write about in that eventual book — he just needs to figure out where to place it.
“What chapter will the LeBron vs. Warriors fit into my book?” James asked. “I have no idea. That’s for myself and whatever writer I decide to pick. I know one of you guys would love to be [that person]. Probably could make a lot of money.”
