Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James didn't need trainers early into his legendary career in the NBA.

James uploaded a June 1 episode of his “Mind The Game” podcast to YouTube. He had co-star Luka Doncic and NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash on the show, talking about why young players should not need trainers early on in their careers.

“I didn’t have a basketball trainer until my 2nd, 3rd or 4th year in the NBA. My basketball training was just being on the court. Let’s just go hoop,” James said. “A lot of the skills coaches and trainers involved in these kids’ lives—they actually want to be more famous than the actual kid. They think they’re more important than the actual kid they’re training. Their motive is not pure. Like, they want to be on camera. They want to be recognized. They want to talk to the media.”

“Say, for instance, I train Luka for two summers and he has a breakout season. Now they want to do interviews with people—like, that’s not the f***ing objective, right? The objective is to help this kid get better. Help him see the game further than he did before. It’s not for you to be famous. And I think that also changed a lot of the landscape—kids not knowing the purity or the essence and the beauty of the game.”

What lies ahead for LeBron James, Lakers

Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) defends against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (right) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center.
Nick Wright drops the mic on LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry debateScotty White ·
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena
Luka Doncic reveals initial thought on living in LA after Lakers tradeJosue Pavon ·
Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago.
Lakers set first Cooper Flagg, Mavericks matchup in Las VegasMalik Brown ·
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers Luka Doncic’s sends ‘speed’ message that will scare rest of NBANathan Yasis ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after his team scored against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center.
LeBron James’ former teammate provides eye-opening take on GOAT debateAlex House ·
Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) and guard Mario Chalmers (15) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
Mario Chalmers’ wild LeBron James club story stuns Shannon SharpeLorenzo J Reyna ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after scoring against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

It's noteworthy insight from LeBron James about how he approached the early years of his NBA career.

He learned a lot by just mastering the basics of the sport, which allowed him to expand his skillset and become one of the best in the league. Younger players who aspire to follow in his footsteps might look to be wary of trainers who may want to use them as promotion instead of actually helping them improve, as the Lakers star warned.

In the meantime, James is gearing for an offseason that will present intriguing questions. He has a player option for the 2025-26 season that will have him earn $52.6 million if he accepts it. If he declines, it is possible that he could sign a contract for two years with the second being another player option.

What will matter is the amount he would command. The Lakers look to make significant improvements to their roster after losing in the first round of the playoffs. Needing cap space to acquire high-value players, it is possible that James might take a pay cut to give himself one more shot at competing for a fifth NBA title.