NBA legend John Stockton continues his press run, expressing his displeasure with how players seem more in control of the league, specifically regarding team formation. His target on LeBron James as the ambassador of players with influence with the front office is unwavering.
While on the “DNP-CP” podcast, Stockton was asked about the LeBron James effect on teams he comes to and leaves bereft of a plan to rebuild after he matriculates to greener pastures.
“I’m not living it every day, so I don’t know what it’s like to have players dictating to you like it seems LeBron is,” Stockton said. “It would be maddening as a teammate to know that you can be expendable for one of his guys that he thinks he needs to play with.”
The Thin Line Between What It “Seems” And What It Is
Although Stockton made it clear that he doesn’t know if James is calling shots in tandem with the Los Angeles Lakers front office or any team previously, he did acknowledge that to him, it “appears” that he has influence.
“The iffiness it causes with the team, the iffiness it causes upstairs, I don’t like it either,” he continued. “I like when guys just tighten their belt up and say ‘you know what, let’s go to work. We just got to get better. We got to play harder. We got to play smarter, instead of just ‘huh, where’s the grass greener, i’m going to go there and win a championship.’ I think it just devalues that. You’re not climbing the mountain, you’re taking a helicopter to the top.”
Previously, Stockton discussed James and his problem with the superteam concept during an interview with Gonzaga Nation, where Stockton called today’s league the “buddy ball” era.
Buddy Ball
“I don’t think you chase titles. I think you go to work every day. However, the landscape has changed too. I think where I have issues is in trying to manipulate the environment. You’re on the phone with, you and I the phone, ‘Hey, who can we get here and do this.’”
“LeBron could have won a championship in Cleveland,” Stockton said. “I mean he was this close the first year, and then he rips the jersey off and can’t wait to go. And so would it have happened for him if he didn’t switch? I don’t know. Great player, but we would have been looking at him differently if he hadn’t, probably.”
From Julius “Dr. J” Irving to John Stockton, yesterday’s basketball heroes are not happy with the game’s current state. However, with salaries high and the NBA leading sports as a players-first league, the trend generally working better for certain players continues.
