LeBron James names toughest defender he's ever played against
LeBron James names toughest defender he's ever played against
During his 22 seasons in the NBA, LeBron James has faced just about every imaginable defense and every good or great defender the league has had to offer. Like anyone else, he has had his moments where opposing defenses have gotten the best of him, but he has also made plenty of opposing defenses look weak and incompetent.
Thanks to his unprecedented longevity, he has played through multiple eras of NBA basketball, which means he has faced great defenders who have been out of the league for a while. On a recent episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast, he named the toughest defender he ever faced, and it was someone who hasn't played in a game since 2017: Metta Sandiford-Artest.
'Yeah, Ron Artest,' he said. 'Metta World Peace now. Really good with his hands, laterally was really good, strong as an ox. We played a game in my early years when he was in Indiana I mean, it was challenging for sure. One of the best defenders probably I've played against. I had to go straight back to my early days. Ron definitely had you like, OK this is what the league is about. OK, lets continue to lock in, this is a hell of a test for you as an 18-year old kid out of high school with a target on your back. I was like yeah, I love this. This is awesome.'
Sandiford-Artest was a first-round draft pick in 1999 by the Chicago Bulls, and other than the 2014-15 season, he remained in the league until the 2016-17 campaign. In his prime, he was a very physical and fierce defender who had great hands, and he was named to four All-Defensive teams and won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004.
After his reputation went down in the gutter following the "Malice at the Palace" early in the 2004-05 season, he came to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and got to team up with Kobe Bryant. The Lakers won the NBA championship in his first season with them, as he played a key role in slowing down Paul Pierce during the NBA Finals versus the Boston Celtics.
But Sandiford-Artest was much more than just a defensive specialist. He was that uncommon player who could lock down the other team's best guard or wing and drop 20 points on the other end. He had a career average of 13.2 points a game and went over 20 points per contest in two seasons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Durant Does Not Want To Join The Timberwolves And Play With Edwards
Durant Does Not Want To Join The Timberwolves And Play With Edwards originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Timberwolves are the most ambitious team in pursuing Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade. Unfortunately for the Timberwolves and their fans, Durant has expressed interest in three other teams. Advertisement According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota. That is an unfortunate report for Timberwolves fans who wanted to pair Durant with Anthony Edwards. However, the door is still open, considering the Phoenix Suns will make the final decision. Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images As one of the best players of the past two decades, Durant deserves a huge trade package in return. He is a championship-level superstar, as proven by his two Finals MVP awards for the Golden State Warriors in the late 2010s. Even at 36, Durant is still a superstar who can lead a team to a championship. The Timberwolves are close to winning a title with their two consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances. They want to chase Durant to pair with Edwards, but the two-time Finals MVP is not a fan of the move. Advertisement Related: Zach Lowe Admits The Kevin Durant Trade To The Timberwolves Is Challenging Durant Wants To Play For Houston, San Antonio, Or Miami Conflicting reports have been scattered around the league. However, Charania is the most trusted insider, which means the Durant report of not wanting to play for Minnesota is significant. He wants to play for the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, or Miami Heat. Those are the teams that can offer a long-term contract extension for him. That is an understandable reason, as the next deal is likely his final NBA contract. "I'm told the Phoenix Suns remain in active conversations on a Kevin Durant deal. Their focus in the last few days is three teams, the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. We know his preferred destinations are the Rockets, Spurs, and Heat," Charania said on SportsCenter. "I'm told Durant has no desire to be in Minnesota for the Timberwolves. How does that shape the Minnesota Timberwolves and other teams that could have interest in him?" Advertisement It is a big blow to what Minnesota has planned, but the Timberwolves are still working out a deal. They want Durant, and they can still get him despite his hesitance to join the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves Make The Most Basketball Sense Even though Durant is not a big fan of moving to Minnesota, it does make the most sense in potential success. Working with Anthony Edwards is a dream partnership, as both players are superstars who can take over games. Edwards needs a secondary star because he struggled when Julius Randle struggled in key games during the 2025 Playoffs. With Durant, Edwards can defer to a proven superstar who can create a shot for himself. The Timberwolves need someone who can be a clutch scorer outside of Edwards. They are relying too much on him, which limits the team's potential. Advertisement They are already playing at a high level, reaching two consecutive Western Conference Finals. However, they need that extra edge to take them beyond their initial limits and compete for a championship in the NBA Finals. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Antetokounmpo Admits Ant Edwards Is His Favorite NBA Star
Antetokounmpo Admits Ant Edwards Is His Favorite NBA Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Anthony Edwards has become one of the biggest fan favorites in the NBA. He is an appealing player due to his entertaining brand of basketball, as he utilizes his athleticism to make highlight plays while possessing an elite arsenal of moves. Advertisement The fans love watching Edwards play basketball, and his fellow NBA players also appreciate his game. One of his biggest fans is two-time MVP and 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The NBA is filled with entertaining players like Kyrie Irving or Ja Morant. However, Edwards has climbed the ladder and become arguably the most fun player to watch in the league. He is doing this with elite production, so he is already fun, but the plays he makes lead to success. The Minnesota Timberwolves are near the top of the Western Conference. They had two Conference Finals appearances, and Edwards will only become more entertaining as he grows. Advertisement Related: Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Lauds Anthony Edwards' Offseason Workouts Antetokounmpo's Appreciation For Anthony Edwards Antetokounmpo loves watching basketball like everyone else. He knows what it takes to be a top-tier NBA player, so he loves appreciating the players who appeal to him the most. For him, Anthony Edwards and Damian Lillard are his two favorite players. That is significant for Edwards because he is being talked about as one of the best players in the league. He has fully earned that tag because he is arguably the best shooting guard in the sport. He only has to compete with Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker for that spot. Since he is younger and still has more potential to tap into, Edwards is mostly seen as the better player by the community. Advertisement With Antetokounmpo's appreciation for Edwards clear as day, that will likely be the opinion of most of the biggest names in the sport. Thankfully for Edwards, he has plenty of fans within the upper echelon of the NBA, as Giannis is not the only one. The Potential Of A Hypothetical Edwards And Antetokounmpo Duo Since Antetokounmpo spoke about his favorite players, he made sure to include Lillard. He was always a big fan of Lillard, who was the Portland Trail Blazers' franchise star. When he wanted a move away from Rip City, Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks immediately snapped him up with a blockbuster trade. That deal has not worked out because they have not won a championship, but it shows Antetokounmpo's desire to play with his favorite players. That could be a possibility with Edwards because Antetokounmpo's situation in Milwaukee is quite shaky. If he ever wants to leave the Bucks, the Timberwolves will take him in with open arms. Advertisement Of course, that is nearly impossible to pull off, but the potential duo of Edwards and Antetokounmpo is promising. There is a small change in the long-term future, but in the meantime, the Timberwolves are chasing Kevin Durant. Related: Durant Does Not Want To Join Minnesota, But It Will Not Be His Decision To Make This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rebecca Lobo Makes Caitlin Clark Declaration Without Hesitation
Rebecca Lobo Makes Caitlin Clark Declaration Without Hesitation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Caitlin Clark made quite a statement in her return from a quad injury on Saturday. Not only did she help the Indiana Fever hand the New York Liberty their first loss of the season, but she also made history in the process. Advertisement The 23-year-old guard recorded 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists to propel the Fever to a 102-88 win. In the process, she became the fourth-fastest WNBA player to reach 850 career points. Clark also surpassed Candace Parker for the most 30-5-5 games in a player's first two seasons. Saturday's performance was her third game with such a stat line. Following her sensational performance, fans and sports personalities alike were quick to heap praises on her. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James didn't hide his excitement to see Clark return, while former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III called her the "most exciting player in the WNBA." Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and WNBA legend Rebecca LoboTrevor Ruszkowski and Mark Smith-Imagn Images On Monday, WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo also chimed in about Clark's incredible play in her return from a five-game absence. Speaking on ESPN's "First Take," the former All-Star center dropped a massive praise for the Fever playmaker. Advertisement "She's certainly the most exciting player, certainly the most fun player to watch in the league," Lobo said of Clark. The UConn Huskies icon also called Caitlin Clark's performance against the Liberty "ridiculous," specifically highlighting her long-range shots. Clark made seven triples in the contest, but what was amazing was the fact that the average distance of her made shots from deep was 28.7 feet. The 3-point distance in the WNBA is 22 feet. Related: WNBA Fans In Disbelief Over Slow-Mo Video Of Caitlin Clark Pass This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
