Former Teammate Revealed Why Many Hated Playing With LeBron

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Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Retired NBA player Iman Shumpert provided a deeper insight into why it is so hard for teammates to play on the same team with LeBron James. The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Shumpert to join the mid-2010s roster and helped put them over the top to win the 2016 NBA Championship. Unfortunately, some players have struggled on and off the court when joining a LeBron-led team.

Shumpert explained why it can be challenging to play with James:

“That’s the mental battle when playing with LeBron: You’re always in a win-now situation. Every year. The Lakers, right now, are in fifth. They’re playing better than anybody gives them credit for, but this n**ga is 41, and people are asking every day, ‘Do you feel like they’re contenders?’ Like, if it were just Luka over there, would y’all be doing this? Literally just because [LeBron] is standing there, they are contenders. That’s insane to think about.”

The pressure and expectations for other players grow solely because they are on the same floor with an all-time great. Media coverage of LeBron in his prime made each season feel like a must-win scenario for his teams. Shumpert confirmed that the pressure instantly grows and not every role player or complimentary star can easily handle that.

Shumpert Specifically Named Russell Westbrook

One of the biggest instances of a noteworthy star joining a LeBron-led team and failing badly was Russell Westbrook. Lakers management acquired Westbrook to provide a third superstar with James and Anthony Davis just two seasons after Los Angeles won the NBA Championship.

Shumpert shared why he believed Westbrook failed and declined with the Lakers:

“When Russell Westbrook went over there, and they were like, ‘Oh, Russ just lost it.’ I’m like, ‘No, he’s playing with LeBron.’ It’s a different game, but people don’t understand that. A lot of people can’t adjust their game. If you can understand that, you can play on anybody’s team.”

Westbrook averaged a triple double in his sole Washington Wizards season before getting traded to the Lakers. Despite playing at a high level one season earlier, Westbrook clearly failed to fit into the new system and was traded in his second Lakers season. The reputation of Westbrook took a hit to make him a bench player moving forward.

LeBron Still Managed To Improve Many Teammates

A major aspect of LeBron’s playing career was his ability to improve players around him. Role players like Mike Miller, Ray Allen, Daniel Gibson, Shumpert, and plenty of others received open shots quite often thanks to James drawing double teams.

James was known for making his teammates better on the court, but his natural star power in pop culture made the job harder off the court. Pressure to win and massive negative reactions when a team underperformed added a variable to the job no other scenario provided.

Kyle Korver and JR Smith both received a lot of intense criticism for mistakes in the NBA Finals against a superior Golden State Warriors team due to the media story of LeBron chasing another ring. Shumpert spoke candidly about how something James can’t control makes it difficult for his teammates.

Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford