LeBron James finally names the most complete player he has ever faced

LeBron James is now in his twenty-third NBA season – a milestone no one else in league history has reached. The future Hall of Famer has faced an extraordinary range of rivals throughout his illustrious career, first in the Eastern Conference with Cleveland and Miami, and later in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 40-year-old has shattered countless personal records that will be difficult for anyone to match, yet he remains in pursuit of a fifth NBA title after winning two with Miami, one with Cleveland and one with Los Angeles. He came close during the 2022–23 season, but the Purple and Gold were swept in the Western Conference finals by the Denver Nuggets, led by the great Nikola Jokic.

During the Mind the Game podcast, James was asked by Steve Nash to name the most dominant and complete player he has faced across his 23 seasons. The Lakers star didn’t hesitate to praise Jokic’s talent, insisting there is no one like him anywhere in the NBA.

LeBron James’ praise for Nikola Jokic

“Is he the best offensive player you’ve faced in your career?”, Nash asked. “That’s a tricky question,” James replied before expanding on his point.

“When you think about everything he does – the pressure he puts on a defense, the passing, the playmaking, initiating the offense, the threes, the mid-range, putting people at the rim… it’s a lot. No, seriously, it’s a lot. Yeah, it’s a lot,” James said.

“I’ll say this: there hasn’t been a more dominant and complete player I’ve played against, in terms of all the attributes you just mentioned – from passing the ball, to shooting, rebounding, and the attention he draws. There’s nothing he can’t do on the offensive side. Nothing at all,” he concluded.

The Serbian center has been one of the most commanding forces in the league, winning MVP honors in 2021, 2022 and 2024. He also led the Nuggets to the first championship in franchise history in 2023 and was named Finals MVP against the Miami Heat.

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