NBA
What’s the reason why LeBron James doesn’t shoot three-pointers anymore?
The future NBA Hall of Famer talked about the evolution of his game, which has enabled him to maintain longevity at almost 40 years old.
LeBron James became the NBA’s leading scorer last season and explained how his game has evolved to remain among the elite at 39 years old. The future NBA Hall of Famer mentioned that before starting his 21st season in the league, he worked a lot on his jump shot, which he needed to improve.
The four-time NBA champion knows that he can’t attack the basket as often as he did in his early days in order to stay healthy. LeBron James was successful during the 2023/24 season, making 41 percent of his three-pointers on 5.1 attempts, the highest number of his career.
In recent years, we have seen how LeBron James has improved his 3-point shooting and how it has become a vital part of his game. During the new episode of the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with J.J. Redick, a candidate to coach the Lakers, LeBron James explained why he doesn’t shoot threes more often, even though coaches insist he should.
The evolution of LeBron James
“I can sit here and tell you, I definitely have some of our coaches on our staff; they want me to shoot more threes. They are encouraging it, encouraging me to shoot more three-pointers. I can’t do it, I can’t get there. I can’t get to that point. No, it’s not a matter of ego. It’s like I’m not putting enough pressure on the defense if I shoot between 12 and 14 three-pointers per game,” LeBron James began.
“I feel like I can get six or seven of them right. Yeah, I’m screwing myself, so three or four of them. But I can shoot at a high rate. If I shoot 14 a game, I will have a rhythm. But I’m not putting pressure on the defense, and that’s not me. I have to put pressure on the defense like we have the guys on our team shooting a lot of threes, which is cool; I love that,” he said.
“There has to be some pressure at the rim. I have to put some fear in the opposing defense with my jump shot,” concluded LeBron James. At 39 years old, he is still a very aggressive and physical player when he attacks the rim, just like in his early years in the league. It will be interesting to see how LeBron James’ game continues to evolve next season as he decides whether to stay with the Lakers or try his luck with another team.
The latest reports indicate that LeBron James wants to extend his contract with the Lakers for two more seasons. He will learn more details about his decision when the 2024 NBA Draft finishes next month and learns about the future of his oldest son, Bronny.