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LeBron James is easily one of the most feared players in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is one of the most dominant players of all-time, with the ability to take over games at a moment's notice. There's a reason why he's the guy consistently challenging Michael Jordan for the GOAT crown.
One good example of this came from a rather bizarre confession from a former teammate. Prior to joining the Cavs in 2017, Kendrick Perkins was part of a fierce rivalry between LeBron James and the Boston Celtics. Despite all the bravado from their former players, Perkins admitted that prior to Game 7 of their 2008 second-round matchup, he was hoping that the now-Lakers star would miss the game due to a sudden injury. (via Old Man and the Three)
The Celtics eventually won that Game 7, but LeBron James didn't go down without a fight, naturally. The now-Lakers star dropped 45 points on the eventual champions, proving to be a thorn on their side. It's no wonder that Perk hoped that LeBron would somehow miss that Game 7 (though asking for an ACL tear is a bit too much).
LeBron's time with the Lakers hasn't given him much chance to be feared again in the NBA. Injuries (both to himself and his teammates) limited his appearances in the playoffs. Back in 2020, though, the league once again learned to fear James, as he tore his way to his 4th championship in his career.
As LeBron is nearing 40 years of age, fans have started to speculate about his retirement. One thing's for sure, though: the Lakers star will be remembered as the most frightening player during his time, both to fans and to his fellow players.