LeBron James Compares His NBA Finals Run To A Warzone: 13 Guys In The Foxhole With Me, A Grenade Is Thrown...
Among LeBron James' multiple achievements in his career, he can boast a historical streak of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2011 to 2018, among a total of 10 appearances in his 22-year career so far.
Advertisement
LeBron James recently released the live episode from the Fanatics Fest that he recorded for the 'Mind the Game' podcast with Steve Nash. He spoke about this historical NBA Finals run and, in Steve Nash's words, the "basketball nirvana" of playing on a team he can trust that much.
'I think the best feeling for me as a player is that, when a national anthem is going on and I usually stand on the end, is that when I can look down the rope and I know that I got 11 other guys, 13 other guys that's in a foxhole with me. And I know for sure that if it's a grenade thrown in a fox hole, we don't all stand there. Like we want to die for this game."
'You know, and that is a beautiful feeling when you can look to your left and look all the way down the road either if I was teammates with Dwayne Wayne, Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, James Jones, Mike Miller, you know, the rest of the crew."
"Or if I looked to my left and I saw, you know, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, you know, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, or Anthony Davis, you know, Alex Caruso, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, you know, Danny Green, and looking at my-- just knowing guys that, you know, who are willing to die for it on the floor and be in a fox hole with you. There's no better feeling than that, man. There's no better feeling than that, absolutely.'
Advertisement
LeBron James has four wins to his six losses in the NBA Finals as he went in 2007 and 2020 as well, in addition to his streak from 2011 to 2018. James has always built his team from scratch with players that he trusts.
Ever since he came into the league, he had been handed the reins to every team he has been on. So he puts a special emphasis on having guys around him that he trusts.
When his streak ended in 2019, he scouted Anthony Davis and convinced him to come to the Lakers and then immediately built a roster with the Lakers that won the championship in 2020. James highly values building a roster with key pieces that trust each other, like a battalion of troops in a warzone.
Even when his teammates thought it "s**ks" to play with him, they pushed themselves to achieve the common goal they had their eyes on. This is a type of camaraderie that keeps the bond strong between these players for life.
Related: LeBron James Says NBA Is Moving Past 'Big Three' Era: 'It's About Depth Now'
This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dolphins backup OL Andrew Meyer out "weeks" with an injury
The Dolphins have lost backup interior offensive lineman Andrew Meyer for "weeks" with an injury, coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. 'He's had a great camp, really stepped his game, and I'm very impressed with his play,' McDaniel said, via Dante Collinelli of 'He will be out weeks, but he's built a strong foundation as one of the top performers if you want to talk about growth of game. One of the top guys from year one to year two that has made tremendous strides.' Meyer practiced with the first team at center until Aaron Brewer returned from a soft-tissue injury in his right leg. Meyer's injury is undisclosed. He made the team as an undrafted rookie last year but he did not see any action. The Dolphins also are missing offensive linemen Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg. They have signed Daniel Brunskill and Germaine Ifedi in camp.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test' Season 4 cast: Jussie Smollett, Shawn Johnson
The casting department for "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" is acing their assignment. Fox's military training series returns for Season 4 on Sept. 25 and this year's cast – first announced Wednesday, Aug. 6 – features a star-studded roster of celebrities from the worlds of sports, social media and even modeling. In the show, celebrities take on military-style challenges that test their bodies, souls and minds led by a roster of instructors who are special forces veterans: Rudy Reyes, Jovon Quarles, Jason Fox and Mark "Billy" Billingham. The cast is headlined by Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and her former NFL player husband Andrew East, "Sister Wives" star Kody Brown, embattled "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" OG Teresa Giudice and her eldest daughter Gia Giudice of "Next Gen NYC" fame, "The Valley" cast member Brittany Cartwright and college football legend Johnny Manziel. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox The cast also includes retired Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb, country singer Jessie James Decker and her ex-NFL player husband Eric Decker, Mark Estes of the Montana Boyz (also known as Kristin Cavallari's younger ex-boyfriend), "BFFs" podcaster Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia and sitcom star Ravi Patel. Former pro soccer player Christie Pearce Rampone, former NBA player Nick Young, supermodel Chanel Iman and TV personality Eva Marcille are also set to star. Notable past competitors include actress Denise Richards, former "Bachelorette" Hannah Brown, former first term Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, Johnson's 2008 Olympic team member Nastia Liukin, "Jon & Kate Plus 8" mom Kate Gosselin, "The Osbournes" star Jack Osbourne and singer JoJo Siwa. "Bachelor in Paradise" star Brown and former pro soccer player Carli Lloyd passed the Season 1 test while Brown's ex-boyfriend Tyler Cameron, fellow "Bachelor" franchise lead Nick Viall and Olympic speedskater Erin Jackson won Season 2. Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend, model Kayla Nicole, won Season 3 along with "The Hills" alum Brody Jenner. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Special Forces' cast: Jussie Smollett, Kody Brown, Shawn Johnson
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Disney World Unveils New Pirate-Themed Pub with Nostalgic 'Pirates of the Caribbean 'Touches
The restaurant is slated to open on Friday, Aug. 29NEED TO KNOW Disney shared a first look at The Beak and Barrel, a new Pirate-themed bar and restaurant in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort The menu includes rum cocktails, tropical mocktails and octopus salad with Piquillo pepper-almond foam Fans can make reservations starting on Aug. 14 and purchase themed merch like T-shirts and parrot plushiesWalt Disney World Resort announced the opening of Magic Kingdom's Adventureland's newest bar and restaurant, The Beak and Barrel, back in May and recently shared the first looks of its Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired offerings. On Tuesday, Aug. 5, Disney unveiled a few of the dishes guests will be able to enjoy at the new outpost, from tropical beverages to deep-sea-themed eats, along with a sneak peek at the restaurant's merchandise that features clothing attire and plushies. Guests (or pirates) can look forward to The Treasure Trove – a non-alcoholic concoction of ube, lemon and coconut served with vanilla cake plank, chocolate cannonball and golden caramel popcorn – and The Cursed Treasure, a non-alcoholic beverage thats a blend of 'coconut milk and cookie crumbs topped with vanilla foam and pirate's gold cookie.' The drink is meant to invoke that 'cookies and cream' flavor that all ages enjoy. The seven spirit-based offerings, along with an impressive wine and exclusive draft beer lineup, include the Salty Seas mARRRgarita, Barrels Ablaze, the Hibisbus Rum Punch Royale, Port of Call, Lit Fuse, Plunderer's Punch and Siren's Whisper. The latter is inspired by the Fountain of Youth, a mystical staple of the films, and comes together with Pot & Column Still White Rum with citrus and spice in a mesmerizing shade of blue. Salty Seas mARRRgarita has all the notes drinkers love in a margarita – Lalo Blanco Tequila, Cointreau Liqueur, and lime – with the addition of ube for a Southeast Asian twist. Another visually notable is the Plunderer's Punch, which consists of "KKraken Black Spiced Rum, blackberry, vanilla, and a hint of citrus" and comes in a souvenir skull mug. One of the most eye-catching dishes on the food menu is the Kraken's Catch, a cold salad mixture of olives, bell peppers, avocado and Piquillo pepper-almond foam paired with octopus tentacles marinated in lemon and lime. Other food options include Cook's Corn Griddle Cakes, a corn cake stuffed with melted cheese, lime sour cream and chili peppers topped with cotija cheese, and Island Provisions, a shareable plate of plantain chips, blue corn tortillas, and toasted flatbread that comes with a variety of savory dips. Though many Disney-bound adults are impatiently waiting for the new eatery, some online critics found the new menu to be more promising than they believe it can offer. 'I'm excited to eventually go, but this one plate [The Kraken's Catch] stuck out to me as a little overambitious for a pirate themed tavern in MK,' wrote one curious Redditor, adding, 'I can't wait to have a couple rum cocktails and cold octopus tentacles with olives before heading back out into 95 degree heat and hopping on Thunder Mountain. I'm sure my stomach will feel amazing the rest of the day!' However, another commenter pushed back on the criticism, using the parks' Be Our Guest Restaurant and Columbia Harbor House as an example, writing, 'Be our guest has/had octopus dishes (and drinks!) so i don't think it's that crazy. it's no different than having any other seafood, like the salmon at columbia harbor house.' Whether a fan of the semi-new experimental dish or not, guests can leave with the new T-shirt inspired by The Beak and Barrel and a Parrot Shoulder Plush Reservations for The Beak and Barrel will open on Aug. 14, while the restaurant officially is set to open on Aug. 29. Read the original article on People