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Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently sat down with Mark Medina of USA Today for a wide-ranging interview. Amid their discussion, the six-time champion revealed his expectations for LeBron James in the coming season.
USA Today: What do you expect of LeBron this season?
Abdul-Jabbar: I think LeBron will have a good season. The groin injury was unfortunate. It all depends on how they intend to play and how much depth they have around him. LeBron and (Anthony) Davis are two good guys on the court working together. It’s unfortunate that DeMarcus Cousins couldn’t uphold his end of it physically. He’s had too many problems. But when he played with Davis down in New Orleans, they were pretty much simpatico. That would’ve been a really good match. I felt sorry for him in that sense.
Abdul-Jabbar: LeBron doesn’t have many problems. Things went south with injuries to him and the team. But those things happen. LeBron isn’t trying to come back from a career-threatening injury. He’s just slowing down a little bit. But when you’re LeBron and you slow down, you’re talking about a different level of slowing down.
The Lakers were actually in contention for a playoff spot through the early phases of last season. However, as Kareem mentioned in his interview with USA Today, the King went down with a groin injury in December, which forced him to miss a substantial amount of time. As a result, Los Angeles fell further and further out of the race.
This season will likely be much different for the Lakers, though, as the team has added Anthony Davis to its roster. Davis is a proven All-Star, and barring any unforeseen injuries or setbacks, his pairing with James could lead to a playoff berth.
