LeBron James recalls his anxiety playing against the Washington Wizards during his rookie year. He didn’t want to throw a game that was so winnable in his eyes. However, his lack of confidence made him think he’d “lay an egg.”
LeBron James Lays An Egg?
Rookie James is a long-gone memory of the bygone eras of the 2000s age of basketball. However, he carried a lot of hype as he entered the NBA as the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him.
This put some pressure on the superstar, and one culmination was his first-ever playoffs. He talks about his nerves on his podcast with JJ Redick, Mind The Game.
He pointed out players he saw who were playing in one of their better seasons. Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jameson, and Caron Butler intimated the young and inexperienced James.
Ultimately, he didn’t want to “lay an egg.” After all, he didn’t want to fail the team. It was a winnable game, and the 20-time All-Star didn’t want to be the reason his team lost.
“Looking out there was Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jameson and Caron Butler and those guys, they were playing great ball that year. And [I was] inexperienced as hell, I didn’t wanna lay an egg.”
LeBron James
After this, Redick asks him how he did in the game. The rookie put in quite the numbers for a new player in the league playing his first postseason. James put up 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
JJ Redick: What’d you have?
LeBron James: 32-11-11
The Mindblowing Rookie Playoffs Performance
Fans instantly point out how crazy the idea of putting down a triple-double in one’s first playoffs is. Additionally, this was in his rookie year, when the veterans were supposed to play with him, not the other way around.
Meanwhile, other users notice something in the video that wasn’t meant to be the focal point—James’ legs. Many point out how toned his legs are as they talk about how the 39-year-old is of another caliber.
Nevertheless, that was quite the outing for the young forward. It wasn’t a fluke either, as he averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists during that run.
