ALL-STAR GAME: TEAM GIANNIS VS. TEAM LEBRON

February 19, 2023

LeBron James

Pregame Press Conference

Q. LeBron, how do you view the 23 games remaining in the Lakers' season in terms of the challenges that you've had in your career? Obviously, the goal everyone is stating is to make the postseason.

LEBRON JAMES: It's 23 of the most important games of my career for a regular season. It's the type of mindset that I have and I hope the guys will have coming back off the break.

Q. Physically, how are you feeling for that 23-game stretch knowing that obviously things can change? You've been battling this foot thing. How has this time off helped, and how did you come out of Thursday's game?

LEBRON JAMES: This couple of days has helped, not having to stress it being out on the floor. So it's helped. I'm going to try not to go too crazy in the game. I'm going to have some fun, but not go too crazy.

The most important thing for me right now is to maintain my health and be available to my teammates after this break because we have to make a strong push if we want to do anything special.

So feeling pretty good right now. I came out of the game Wednesday feeling pretty good.

Q. LeBron, first of all, looked like you got away for a couple of days with Savannah. What did that time away do for your mindset? Now that you've had a couple of days to think about how that game went right before the break, what are your thoughts about the flow of the new team and roster?

LEBRON JAMES: Well, I mean, it's always great to spend time with your best friend, so that's always unique.

As far as our team, I love what we were able to accomplish the other day, on Wednesday night. The worst thing for us is that we had to go on a break. I would have loved if we could have played Friday and got a couple of games under our belt because it's the first time our whole group was together from top to bottom.

But it is what it is. We all take advantage of it. We all take advantage of the rest. Kind of get some nicks and bruises out of the way if any guys had them.

It's not saying they're all going to just go away, but you can feel a little bit better, for sure, going into next week.

Q. I know you're focused on the last 23, of course, but did you take any time during the break just to reflect on what the chase meant, what the record means, the significance it had to so many people outside of yourself? And in a weird way, are you kind of glad it's over so you can focus on the playoff push?

LEBRON JAMES: No, I did not. Literally the only time that I kind of had a little reflection is when the Lakers' social media post, they posted the one with my whole family on there that I actually posted I believe yesterday or the other day. It's hard for me to stop watching that because watching Zhuri's reaction to that is, like, the greatest -- it's so cool.

If I'm having a bad day, I know exactly where I can go to fix my day. Seeing Zhuri's reaction to that moment was pretty, pretty cool.

It's not like I'm happy that it's over, because I didn't put too much pressure on myself for it. It's not like it was something that I was -- I wasn't chasing it. I was just hooping, I guess, and it just happened.

It came organically because I've been available. I've put the work in. I've been gifted to do some great things out on the floor, and I just tried to apply that every single night that I was available to my teammates and my franchise, the three franchises I played for.

It wasn't like a stress release or a stress relief because it wasn't something I really had a goal set of doing.

Q. Leading up to the scoring record, you always said that you had no idea how you would react. Were you surprised by how much it hit you and how much it has hit you since?

LEBRON JAMES: I don't know if it's really sunk in to what I was able to accomplish. I know the history of the game. I know there are some records and there are some accomplishments. There are some things that happened that people questioned when it happened years before that if they would ever see it again or if it would ever be eclipsed or if it would ever be taken over.

I know the history of sport and professional sports that I'm a part of. So I understand the significance and how special that is. But as far as me individually, I don't know.

It's hit me a couple of times. I was able to see that video and see my daughter's reaction, and that was pretty cool. Just the warm reception that I've gotten from family and friends and peers and things of that nature, I understand that it was something that's pretty cool and could stand for quite a while.

Q. LeBron, this is now 19 All-Star Game (selections) for you, tying Kareem's record. What does that mean to you in the history of the NBA? And also wanted to ask you about you think of the development of Lauri Markkanen?

LEBRON JAMES: I'll answer your first question. It's an honor. Any time I'm compared to any of the greats that have played this game, those guys laid the path both on the floor and off the floor for guys like myself to be able to walk, talk, run, jump, do the things that I do every single day. So it's pretty cool being a part of history.

As far as Lauri, I think it's all about more and more opportunity. The talent has always been there since he came from Arizona and he got drafted by the Bulls. You saw the talent.

Then when he went to Cleveland, you saw the talent as well, what he is capable of doing. But now he is a centerpiece, focal point here in Utah, and he is able to showcase not only his talent, but showcase it even more because they run a lot through him. So he is able to do it more often.

Always been a talented kid. And I've always liked him because he has always worn LeBron shoes, too, so he has always been cool with me (smiling).

Q. With the new change of the draft process this year, how do you see this will bring a new excitement to yourself and all the others?

LEBRON JAMES: I don't know. I guess it just takes us back -- it's taken me back to grade school, when you lined everybody up across the free throw line and you had two captains and you picked. You know? I take him. I take him. I take her. You know? You go from there.

That's what I'm envisioning it being today. That's pretty much it. I think it's going to be cool for the fans to be able to witness that. A lot of people who never have been put in that position or being able to draft teams and things of that nature. I think it's a different format, so it will be pretty cool. We'll see what happens.

Q. I want to go back to the top where you said the next 23 games will be some of the most important of your career. Given everything that you've accomplished over 20 years, that's a pretty strong statement. Why do you feel that way about this particular season?

LEBRON JAMES: Because I want to make a push to make the playoffs. I don't want to see myself not being part of the postseason for two years straight. It's just not part of my DNA. We're sitting up here talking about the record and things of that nature, and that's all cool, but I'm more passionate about trying to make the postseason and give ourselves a chance to compete for another Larry O'Brien Trophy.

That's just who I am. That's what I'm cut from. So I hope I can figure out a way to just make sure that I'm available on the floor every single night for these 23 games to give us a chance, give our group a chance to be able to compete every night and give ourselves a chance to win every night so we can give ourselves a chance to get into the postseason.

Q. As you reach milestone after milestone, play year after year, how does that affect the way you reflect on the accomplishments that you've had and continue to get?

LEBRON JAMES: I don't really think about it. I'm not a guy who kind of, like, basks in his accomplishments. I've won the championship four times in my career, and pretty much after the three parades or the celebration that we had, I was right back trying to figure out what the team was going to look like next year and how I can be better the following year. That's just who I am.

I guess when I throw the shoes over the wire, or over the backboard, and say this is it for me, then maybe I'll have an opportunity to sit back with my friends and my family, my buddies, we sit down and drink some wine, drink some Lobos and enjoy just the journey then.

But I'm very weird when it comes to celebrating myself. I'm not comfortable with that. Hopefully I'll get better. I should get better at some point.

Q. There are a lot of Chinese people that come here that just want to see you in person, especially at All-Star. Can you show some love to them? They would be so happy for that.

LEBRON JAMES: I'm here. I'm here. I'm here for all my Chinese fans -- ni hao, xie xie, all that good stuff. Let's have a good time in Salt Lake. Yeah, welcome.

Q. LeBron, what would you consider your secret to your longevity? And you spoke about many times how you would like to play with Bronny before you end your career, but the way that you are playing now, do you see even an opportunity where you may be able to play with Bryce before your career is over, considering how well you're still playing?

LEBRON JAMES: My secret? Well, I tell you my secret, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. But I would say just dedicating myself to the game. I've never cheated the game. There's a saying in sports called the "game gods," and when you cheat the game gods or you shortcut the game gods, karma comes with that, and they will figure out a way to get you back.

I learned that at a very young age. I've never cheated the process of how great I can be or how I can maximize my potential or how I can try to be the best teammate or how I can put myself in a position that I can help our team win.

So I think that's part of it. The game has given back to me, and I always just try to give everything I can back to the game.

As far as Bryce, yeah, listen, I don't know how much longer I got to play in this beautiful game. I know I'm on the other side of the hill, for sure. I'm not doing another 20. That's for damn sure. I'm not doing that (laughing). But we'll see what happens.

Most important for my kids, at the end of the day I just want them to continue to be great -- just great young men. Sports and all that other stuff will take care of itself.

Q. A couple of months ago you mentioned that you would like to own a team, bring it to Las Vegas and so forth. Your thoughts on that. But, also, maybe it's two, three, four years away, whatever, but last night -- or yesterday we were talking to Kyrie, and he was kind of mentioning how cool it would be for some of the players to start with the diverse ownership and if they have the wherewithal to be owners of teams and from the top down kind of own teams. Can you talk a little bit about that, and just your continued desire, Vegas and whatever?

LEBRON JAMES: I can speak about myself. I am not fortunate enough to be able to see the full transcript of what Kyrie said, so I don't want to mix up any words that he had to say. But as far as myself, I see myself being a part of the game even when I'm done playing.

Ownership is something I'm a part of now off the court in a lot of things that I do. To be able to translate that to the game of basketball, I feel like I could give back to this game in so many fashions, even when I'm not in uniform, that could benefit the sport.

I would love to at some point down the road own an NBA franchise and be able to bring a winning franchise to a city. Like I said, Vegas is a really cool city, and they're doing some great things in sports these days.

Obviously, you see what the Aces are doing. You have the Raiders there. You have the Kings there, the hockey team. They're doing a lot of great things down there.

We'll see what happens and go from there. I think it's the Kings. It's not the Kings, is it? The who? The Golden Knights, yes. Kings are in L.A., right? Oh, two Kings in L.A. Got it (smiling).

Q. I'm sure you went beyond your dreams with all your amazing accomplishments, but usually when a dream comes true, there's a new goal coming up. What is your dream right now to shape your legacy the way you want it to be, and what did it take for you to become the man and athlete you've become?

LEBRON JAMES: To continue to build my community. I started a long time ago, and right now, if you ever have an opportunity to go to Akron, Ohio, we can point you guys in the right direction to see what we got going on down there with my foundation.

Just trying to build up the community, build up a lot of underprivileged kids to make them feel wanted and loved and like their dreams can become reality.

So we have a lot of things going on not only with the I Promise School and the University of Akron, but with the housing community that we have where we're bringing in families that are underprivileged that can't afford their own housing.

That's just three things. There's so much that we have going on, but we want to continue to build that and hopefully take it somewhere else at some point, but obviously the most important thing for me is the streets and the places that I rode my bike and walked on.

That is definitely a big part of my legacy, if not the biggest when it comes to everything I do off the floor.

Q. You said obviously one of the most important stretches of your career in terms of regular-season games. You want to get in the postseason again. You look at how the Western Conference seems about as wide open as it's been in a long time. You could say the same thing for the league. How good a chance do you feel like you guys have if you could just get in, and how wide open do you think things are this year compared to normal?

LEBRON JAMES: Obviously, it's game by game. Take it one game at a time and let the chips fall where they may.

I've always been confident in any club that I've been on once we got into the playoffs that we can compete with anyone, and I feel no different now. With the roster the way we're shaped up right now, if we can finish off this regular season on the right foot, then we can compete versus anyone in the Western Conference, if not the whole league.

But it's going to take a lot of commitment, which is okay. That's what it should be about. We're professionals. What else do we have to do? Make sure the family is good when you leave the house. You have people helping you around the house. Y'all good? Let's commit to this. Let's commit to this and go from there.

But, yeah, I feel like we can -- if we can punch our ticket, we can compete versus anyone.

Q. I also sit on the brand team of Titan, which you know well, obviously. We've had three collaborations --

LEBRON JAMES: We sure have.

Q. -- on your signature shoe. I think on paper there's not a lot that a Filipino kid from Manila and the NBA's all-time leading scorer have in common, but through your generosity of your platform and your signature sneaker, you've allowed Titan to tell parts of that Filipino story, this audacious love for basketball that Filipinos have. I think Filipinos, especially young Filipinos, all around the world feel seen. They feel validated by the game's greatest athlete. I was just hoping to ask you to maybe reflect a little bit on what our teams have accomplished on those three collaborations so far. Without giving away too much, maybe your excitement for what our teams have planned in the future.

LEBRON JAMES: First of all, before we even collaborated, I had an opportunity to go to the Philippines and do a couple of things with Nike and continue to promote the game of basketball. Played in a couple of All-Star Games over there as well. Went throughout the city and had an unbelievable time being in the Philippines. I always had a great deal of respect and love for Manila. It's great.

As far as our collaboration and our partnership, I think it's only going to continue to get better as we continue to not only dive into each other, dive into what we love about each other, but also about our own core values, which we share.

You know, that Titan and crown representation goes hand in hand. It's been a great journey so far, and I'm looking forward to continuing that.

Q. Curious about your love of basketball in the '90s. Do you recall your routine as a kid in the '90s getting ready to watch the All-Star Game on Sunday?

LEBRON JAMES: I'm not going to sit up here and say I remember my routine, but I believe the first All-Star Game that I actually sat down and watched was the -- was it '97 in Cleveland? Because it actually came on local television, so we could watch it in Akron on local television. '97. Kobe was a rookie. MJ was in that game. It was pretty cool for me and my friends. I think we were 11 years old at the time or 13. Thirteen at the time.

I got an opportunity to watch that game. Wasn't fortunate enough to be able to watch some of the games before that because a lot of those games were nationally televised games, and I didn't have nationally televised channels. No cable. Just the local channels.

I don't remember the routine, but I definitely just remember watching, like, the national anthem and just they're panning from left to right to all the All-Stars and me visualizing someday, through the grace of God and through hard work and dedication and my love for the game, maybe I could be one of those kids someday that could stand across that free throw line and be a part of a national anthem in an All-Star Game. I thought it was pretty cool. So, yeah.

Q. Just wondering if you could talk about Josh Giddey's game and the season he is having so far.

LEBRON JAMES: Josh Giddey is really, really good, man. Obviously, a tall point guard. He is a triple-double-type of playmaker every single night because of his ability to rebound at his size, his distinctive passing and he has the ability to score in the paint.

I think he is going to continue to get better and better. They have a really good young core over in OKC. They don't even have Chet there just yet.

Josh is a really good player, along with the other rookies that they have this year. Obviously, we know first-time (All-Star) Shai is really good and the rest of that crew over there.

Pretty good player, for sure. You guys should be proud.