Latest news with #MindtheGame
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LeBron James Reflects on His Most Blatant Travel Violation on 'Mind The Game' Hosted By Steve Nash - "I Traveled Like a Motherf*!"
LeBron James and Steve Nash on Mind the Game (Image via Amazon/Prime Video) LeBron James recently shared a humorous and candid reflection on the most egregious travel violation of his illustrious NBA career during an episode of his podcast "Mind The Game," co-hosted by Steve Nash. Despite being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron admitted to having committed—and gotten away with—some blatant traveling infractions, with one particular play standing out as his "crowning achievement" in this regard. LeBron James' Most Egregious Travel: The 2017 Washington Wizards Game LeBron James pinpointed a specific incident from February 2017, when he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game against the Washington Wizards. Late in the contest, James took the ball coast-to-coast in transition, clearly took an extra step after picking up his dribble—an obvious travel—and then attempted a layup. Remarkably, the referees did not call the violation, allowing the play to continue. LeBron himself admitted, "I traveled like a mother" on that play, but joked that the basketball gods balanced the scales by making him miss the layup afterward. The Cavaliers eventually won that game in overtime, 140-135, making the moment a positive memory despite the blatant travel. The referee on the play was Tony Brothers, who was well-positioned but chose not to blow the whistle. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More LeBron's admission and the clip of the play have since become a humorous highlight among fans and analysts, illustrating how even the best players can sometimes bend the rules without penalty. LeBron's History with Traveling Calls The Los Angeles Lakers star, LeBron James, has long been known for his ability to use gather steps, Eurosteps, and other footwork moves that sometimes skirt the boundaries of the NBA's traveling rules. The league's evolving interpretation of these rules, along with the superstar treatment LeBron often receives, has allowed him to get away with moves that would have been called violations in earlier eras. Steve Nash, a Hall of Fame point guard and co-host of "Mind The Game," discussed with LeBron how the modern game's looser enforcement of travel and dribbling rules has changed the way stars like LeBron operate on the court. LeBron acknowledged that while he has been criticized for these moves, they are now part of the game's fabric, and referees often give him the benefit of the doubt due to his status and style of play. Other Notable Traveling Moments Pointed Out by LeBron LeBron James also reflected on other infamous travel moments in his career, including a particularly bizarre play against the Utah Jazz in 2019 where he took three straight steps while cradling the ball underhanded, almost as if about to bowl it down the lane. That play instantly went viral, and LeBron James himself called it "one of the worst things I've ever done in my career," showing his rare humility and humor about his mistakes. He even expressed sympathy for the referees who missed the call, joking that they would likely get a write-up for it. The Podcast Setting and Broader Discussion The discussion took place on the "Mind The Game" podcast, where LeBron and Steve Nash also cover a wide range of basketball topics, including player development, NBA rules, and memorable moments from LeBron's career. The travel story was a lighthearted moment amid more serious discussions about the game, showcasing LeBron's self-awareness and ability to poke fun at himself. Also read: Kyrie Irving Secures $119M Deal with Mavericks, Vows Championship Pursuit - "Hélà x dallasmavs Tribe, Maktub" LeBron James hilariously recalled the most egregious travel of his career—a blatant extra step taken during a 2017 game against the Washington Wizards that went uncalled by the referees. Despite the clear violation, LeBron missed the layup, which he jokingly attributed to karmic justice. This story highlights both the changing nature of NBA rules and officiating and LeBron's unique place in basketball history as a superstar who has sometimes benefited from leniency on travels. His openness about these moments, including other infamous travels like the 2019 Utah Jazz play, adds a human and humorous dimension to his legendary career. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
New York Post
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
LeBron James hypes Cooper Flagg before 2025 NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg gets the LeBron James stamp of approval. James, on Tuesday's episode of the 'Mind the Game' podcast, said why he liked the presumptive No. 1 NBA draft pick's game. 'I personally think that he wants to be great. He had a hell of a year at Duke,' James said on the show he hosts with Steve Nash. '[Flagg is] a guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump.' Ever since the Mavericks won the draft lottery in May, Flagg has been penciled in to be heading to Dallas — an unusual landing spot for a top pick as the team wasn't 'tanking,' is full of veterans and plans to be competitive this past season despite trading away Luka Doncic. James believes this will work in Flagg's favor. 4 Cooper Flagg at Tuesday's media availability a day before the NBA draft. JASON SZENES/NY POST 4 LeBron James raved about Cooper Flagg in Tuesday's episode of his podcast with Steve Nash. Mind the Game Podcast 'He has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that's established with Hall of Fame guys — Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving — right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd,' James added. 'They can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be.' In James' day, he was selected by the Cavaliers in 2003 when the team was fresh off an abysmal 17-65 season. The then-18-year-old was immediately tasked with some heavy lifting for the franchise. Flagg won't have this typical burden of a No. 1 pick with the veteran options like Davis, Irving and Thompson leading the team – and he'll get to learn a thing or two from them, too. 4 Cooper Flagg will be the second-youngest first overall draft pick in NBA history, only behind LeBron James. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect 'I think that will be an incredible thing to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces,' James said. Flagg is coined as a unique prospect, as he doesn't blow other prospects out of the water in any one category, but still excels at just about anything. The 18-year-old racked up just about every honor possible in his lone season at Duke as the Naismith Award winner, Wooden Award winner, the AP Player of the Year and a consensus All American. 4 Cooper Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his lone season at Duke. Getty Images He should make him fit particularly well in Dallas, where the goal is to compete for a championship immediately. 'I think he's going to be amazing,' James said.
Fox Sports
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
LeBron James: 'Cooper Flagg is Going to be Amazing' on Mavericks
Arguably the best NBA player of the 21st century, LeBron James, thinks that one of the most hyped NBA Draft prospects in recent memory and the expected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Duke star Cooper Flagg, is going to be a force to be reckoned with at the next level. "I personally think that he wants to be great. He had a hell of a year at Duke. A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump. And also, he has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that's established with Hall of Fame guys — Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving — right off the bat," James said about how Flagg would fit on the Dallas Mavericks, who own the No. 1 pick, on the latest edition of the "Mind the Game" podcast, which is hosted by James and Hall of Famer Steve Nash. "Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd. You know, these guys can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be. And I think that's going to be an incredible thing for him to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So, I think he's going to be amazing." [Related: Inside the mind of Duke's Cooper Flagg: 'He wants to destroy his competition'] Flagg had an outstanding freshman season at Duke, which reached the Final Four. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 48.1/38.5/84.0. Flagg earned endless honors, including ACC Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year and took home both the Wooden and Naismith awards. The Mavericks, who made the NBA Finals in 2024, are coming off a 39-43 season that saw them get eliminated in the second round of the NBA Play-in Tournament. Their discouraging 2025 was highlighted by trading superstar and five-time All-NBA honoree Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he's now teammates with James. Then, despite having a 1.8% chance of winning, the Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, giving them the ability to select Flagg, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024. As for some of Flagg's potential new teammates, James was teammates himself with Irving on the Cleveland Cavaliers for three seasons, most notably winning the 2016 NBA Finals, and teammates with Davis on the Lakers from the 2019-20 season through this past February; Davis was part of the Lakers' trade package to acquire Doncic. Kidd, who's yet to sign a new contract in the wake of Dallas denying the New York Knicks permission to speak with him about their head-coaching vacancy, was an assistant coach for the Lakers for two seasons, the first season being James' and the Lakers' 2020 NBA Finals triumph. Meanwhile, James played against Thompson and the Golden State Warriors in four consecutive NBA Finals (2015-18). This is the second time that the Mavericks will select first in the NBA Draft, the first time coming when they picked DePaul forward Mark Aguirre with the No. 1 pick in the 1981 NBA Draft. If indeed the pick, Flagg will become the sixth Duke player to be taken with the No. 1 pick in an NBA Draft, Irving, Art Heyman, Elton Brand, Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero being the first five. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Basketball Association LeBron James Cooper Flagg recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
2025 NBA Draft makes single-file line behind No. 1 Cooper Flagg
A whirlwind four months for the Dallas Mavericks begins anew Wednesday with the launch of the Cooper Flagg era. The draft lottery in May turned into an unexpected gift for the Mavericks when they jumped the line of teams with the NBA's worst records. Against the odds, they went from the playoff play-in tournament to the top of the 2025 draft. Embattled Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, and a fan base miffed by the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason, found immediate optimism. Not only was there a direct path to land Flagg, his arrival would make him a team centerpiece along with center Anthony Davis, who was acquired from the Lakers in the Doncic deal. Point guard and former Duke product Kyrie Irving is on the mend from a torn ACL, giving Dallas three No. 1 overall selections at the core of its roster. Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward with franchise-altering skill and qualities, is only 18 but often looked like a man among boys in guiding Duke to the Final Four. A combo-forward with ball skills, positional size and boundless versatility, Flagg slots in to a menacing frontline next to Davis and Dereck Lively II, another Duke product. Flagg was the Wooden Player of the Year in his only college season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game for the Blue Devils. "Cooper has the kind of talent that can elevate a franchise," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Flagg's NBA potential. Flagg left Davis and other U.S. Olympic team members with a strong impression during scrimmages with the team last summer. One of the players raving about Flagg was LeBron James, who said this week on the "Mind the Game" podcast that Flagg couldn't have picked a better situation to start his NBA career. "A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump," James said. "And also, he has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that's established with Hall of Fame guys -- Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving -- right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd. "You know, these guys ... can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be. And I think that will be an incredible thing to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So, I think he's going to be amazing." San Antonio had only a 6.3 percent chance of a top two selection when the draft lottery took place but the Spurs also beat the odds. San Antonio has lived in the draft lottery for several years and have hit more often than they've missed with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan selected in the top 10 since 2022. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is a favorite to wind up as the next piece of the puzzle in the San Antonio rebuild over in-state option V.J. Edgecombe, who starred in his only season at Baylor and appears destined to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. "His length is crazy, and I don't think you can undervalue how important length and athleticism are in the NBA. He's strong, really has a great court sense," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said of Harper. "In my view, he's the second-best prospect in this draft. He's a clear choice after Cooper Flagg for the Spurs." Either team could be prepared to pull a surprise and commit to another Rutgers product in Ace Bailey, who has raised criticism and concern by refusing to work out in traditional pre-draft sessions. 76ers forward Paul George said this week Bailey is putting his future on the line and taking a senseless risk in trying to dictate his landing spot in the draft. "You're not in a position to be making those commands. Make it to the league first," George said of Bailey's decision not to work out for teams. Flagg's college teammates and fellow freshmen at Duke, sharpshooter Kon Knueppel and 7-footer Khaman Maluach, are likely to find homes in the lottery with two freshman point guards and Texas wildcard Tre Johnson figuring prominently in the top-10 conversation. Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis and Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears are natural scorers with playmaking skills attractive to the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, who select Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively . New Orleans has the seventh pick with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns rounding out the top 10. Portland (11th), the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and a second pick for the Spurs complete the lottery (non-playoff) picks. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Skills Coach Has Six Words for LeBron James on Monday
NBA Skills Coach Has Six Words for LeBron James on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has returned to on-court activities after suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee on April 30. Advertisement James hurt his knee in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in five games despite having James and Luka Doncic. The leading scorer in NBA history trained in New York after wrapping up his appearances at Fanatics Fest this weekend. The NBA legend taped a live episode of "The Shop" and "Mind the Game" at Fanatics Fest. James trained on Monday with former teammate Kevin Love and renowned skills trainer Chris Brickley, who posted a video on X of James working out with a six-word caption. James, 40, is the oldest active player in the NBA. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Lakers this season in 70 games. Advertisement In the Timberwolves-Lakers series, James put up 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. A four-time MVP, James has a player option to return to the Lakers next season. The King, who signed with LA in the summer of 2018, can either pick up his player option or decline it and become an unrestricted free agent. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is the oldest (40) active player in the NBA. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images James is not expected to leave the Lakers since the team has Doncic and his son, Bronny James. Arguably the greatest player of all time, James has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Lakers. He has career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks. Advertisement James turns 41 in December. Next season with be campaign No. 23 for him. Related: LeBron James Makes Michael Jordan Statement Without Hesitation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
